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common time

American

noun

Music.

a meter or tempo of four beats per measure, with each of four quarter notes receiving a single beat. C

common time British

noun

C. music a time signature indicating four crotchet beats to the bar; four-four time

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of common time

First recorded in 1665–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She also pointed out that the most common time for hot, dry Santa Ana winds is during the fall.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025

The Sakura, or _______________ blossom, season is coming up soon, and it's a common time to lose things.

From NewsForKids.net • Mar. 23, 2023

As a bonus, magnetic reversals could provide a common time marker for rocks from different locations.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 19, 2022

"This period before the midterms is a common time for officials to depart," said a White House official, who did not wish to be named.

From Reuters • Apr. 4, 2022

Four four time is used so much that it is often called common time, written as a bold "C."

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023