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

The color palette consists of hues commonly found in Art Deco architecture, including muted green, sapphire and ruby.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

That plan, commonly known as a poison pill, is set to expire May 18.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The calculations done by scientists at IRIS, as it was commonly known, underpin vast numbers of chemical regulations, permits and other environmental rules in the U.S. and abroad.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

The discovery centers on astrocytes, star shaped support cells in the brain, which can be directed to clear away the toxic plaque deposits commonly seen in Alzheimer's.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

This is what’s commonly referred to as “a red flag.”

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

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