commonly

American  

[kom-uhn-lee] / ˈkɒm ən li /

adverb

1. often; frequently.

   commonly used words.

2. usually; generally; ordinarily.

   Synonyms:

   routinely, customarily, normally

3. in a common manner.

---

commonly British  

/ ˈkɒmənlɪ /

adverb

1. usually; ordinarily

   he was commonly known as Joe

2. derogatory in a coarse or vulgar way

   she dresses commonly

---

Etymology

Origin of commonly

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English communeli(che); equivalent to common + -ly

Explanation

The adverb commonly is good for talking about something that usually or ordinarily happens. Mice, for example, are commonly afraid of cats. Commonly describes an action that's to be expected. You could say that the bus commonly picks you up fifteen minutes late, or that colds and flu are commonly passed around between kids at school. The earliest use of commonly, around 1300, was to mean "in a way common to all," from the adjective common, or "belonging to all." The Latin root communis means "in common, public, or shared by all or many."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commonly

The researchers did not include infant formula, beverages, or purees commonly offered as first foods.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

One depicts a bison, while the other is commonly described as a mask.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

They are not commonly displayed at zoos as they are relatively more sensitive to infections, the Kobe zoo said in a written statement to AFP Monday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The most commonly cited conditions were autism and ADHD.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

They were the names of numbers in Hindi, the most commonly spoken language in India.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

Related Words

• frequently
• generally
• more often than not
• ordinarily
• regularly