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!"
Vocabulary lists containing uncommon
Strange
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Strange
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Strange
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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.
That gives Nebius a leg up on margins, as well as an uncommon flexibility when the AI world shifts.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
He said it’s not uncommon for neoclouds like Iren to see a stock move like the one on Monday.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
Criminal prosecutions of corporations are possible under US law, though they remain relatively uncommon.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
However, true biotin deficiency is uncommon because the vitamin is widely found in foods like fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and dairy products.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
I was happy to see they was still sleeping for it was uncommon to spend the day alone with my father.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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.
