Commonplace
/ˈkɒmənpleɪs/
Definitions
2 meaningsNot unusual; ordinary; found often.
/ˈkɒmənpleɪs/
Ordinary; not unusual or special.
Rain is commonplace in this region during the summer.
💡 Simply: Imagine something you see every day, like a car or a tree. That's commonplace—it's so common, it's not special.
👶 For kids: Something you see all the time.
More Examples
His ideas were commonplace and lacked originality.
How It's Used
"It's commonplace to see people using smartphones on the bus."
"The novel's plot is rather commonplace, lacking originality."
A commonplace remark or idea.
/ˈkɒmənpleɪs/
Something that is ordinary or not special.
He spoke only commonplaces, avoiding any original thought.
💡 Simply: Think of a saying you've heard a thousand times, like 'Time flies.' That's a commonplace—an overused idea.
👶 For kids: A boring, old idea.
How It's Used
"His poems were dismissed as mere commonplaces."
From Middle English *comunplace, from Anglo-French *comun place, literally 'common place' or 'shared place'. The sense evolved from a shared or common topic of discussion to something ordinary or typical.
In earlier usage, 'commonplace' referred to a shared topic or a note in a book of shared ideas. The modern sense of 'ordinary' developed later.
Memory tip
Think 'common place' – something found in many places, thus ordinary.