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• commons
  commons

  noun

  (functioning as plural) people not of noble birth viewed as forming a political order
• Commons
  Commons

  noun

  See House of Commons

commons

¹ British  

/ ˈkɒmənz /

noun

1. (functioning as plural) people not of noble birth viewed as forming a political order

2. (functioning as plural) the lower classes as contrasted to the ruling classes of society; the commonalty

3. (functioning as singular) a building or hall for dining, recreation, etc, usually attached to a college

4. (usually functioning as plural) food or rations (esp in the phrase short commons )

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Commons ² British  

/ ˈkɒmənz /

noun

1. See House of Commons

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Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commons Commons

The proposal has since been brought up by Labour MP Alex Sobel in the commons and supported by a cross party group of MPs.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Unauthorized leaks aren’t as commons as they are in the music and movie industries, but they do occur.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

They are where the public realm begins, the front line of the commons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

Leo writes that modern technology has wonderful benefits like the establishment and ease of worldwide interconnections, the formation of global community and solidarity via the digital commons.

From Slate ● May 28, 2026

The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

The Commons public accounts committee this week warned it was "crunch time" for Parliament's restoration, with every additional year of delay costing taxpayers £420m.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The Milton Keynes Central MP raised concerns about TT Rockstars on Tuesday at the Commons Science Committee, which is investigating the impact of screen time and digital devices on children's brain development.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

The 3.9% rise was confirmed by Chancellor John Healey during his speech in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

A Labour MP has said sorry in the House of Commons following complaints over his behaviour towards a female member of staff.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Commons was deserted except for a couple of haggard old janitors and the red-wigged lady who sat at the switchboard and knitted all weekend, paying no attention to the incoming calls.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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