(functioning as plural) people not of noble birth viewed as forming a political order
(functioning as plural) the lower classes as contrasted to the ruling classes of society; the commonalty
(functioning as singular) a building or hall for dining, recreation, etc, usually attached to a college
(usually functioning as plural) food or rations (esp in the phrase short commons )
A commons is a piece of land that belongs to everyone in a community. The commons in the middle of a village might be a green space that's available for gatherings and celebrations. One way to think of the commons is as public land or space — roadways, town parks, public beaches, and sidewalks could all potentially be defined as part of the commons. Nobody owns the commons, and when some part of it becomes privately owned, it's called privatization. The word commons comes from the Latin root communis, which means both "in common, shared by all, or general," and also "common property."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Campaigners said requirements to cut livestock grazing on the moor's commons, under new contracts from the government's conservation agency, could lead to the removal - and likely cull - of up to 90% hill ponies.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
“If all the swimming pools and private places of business in Poultney were to be considered a public commons, just imagine the crippling cost of the liability insurance,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Succession concluded before generative A.I. overcame the creative commons, but it’s likely the budget-slashing Tom would have readily embraced the tech much as D’Amaro has.
From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026
The Free Table began as a kind of informal commons, a collision point of surplus and need.
From Salon • Aug. 19, 2025
They broke for lunch in the dining commons, which was more like a nice restaurant than a typical office cafeteria, but they were all too nervous to enjoy the meal.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
