uncommon
Americanadjective
-
not common; unusual; rare.
an uncommon word.
-
unusual in amount or degree; above the ordinary.
an uncommon amount of mail.
- Synonyms:
- extraordinary
-
exceptional; remarkable.
- Synonyms:
- outstanding
adjective
-
outside or beyond normal experience, conditions, etc; unusual
-
in excess of what is normal
an uncommon liking for honey
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of uncommon
Explanation
Anything uncommon is rare or unusual, like your uncommon last name, which all of your friends have trouble pronouncing. When you add the prefix un- to common, "occurring or done often," you get its opposite, uncommon. The word's earliest meaning was "not possessed in common," or not owned by everyone, from another meaning of common, "shared by the community." These days, people almost always mean "exceptional" or "not likely" when they describe something as uncommon: "It's uncommon for people to win the lottery, so don't waste your money!"
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.
The online retailer Uncommon Goods also has a made-in-USA section, and the retailer American Made Man specializes in goods made domestically.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025
The sensors for the study were developed with the support of a Leitner Award for Uncommon Environmental Collaborations.
From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2024
Josh Green, from designers Uncommon Creative Studio, which came up with the logo, said: “London Museum’s new brand is characterful and distinctive, and communicates something important about London.”
From BBC • Aug. 3, 2024
Uncommon complications can include hospitalization, blood transfusions or major surgeries.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2023
Uncommon nerve and great presence of mind are also indispensable qualifications.
From The South-West By a Yankee. In Two Volumes. Volume 2 by Ingraham, Jonathon Holt
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.
