commonplace
/ˈkɑmənˌpleɪs/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.41 in modern English
21
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Example Sentences
- ""This Mr. Tyrrel," she said, in a tone of authoritative decision, "seems after all a very ordinary sort of person, quite a commonplace man.""
- "In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts,[…], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned."
- "I could get hold of nothing but of some commonplace phrases, those futile phrases that give the measure of our impotence before each other's trials."
- "Commonplace sounds had turned into threats."
- "In the old days, hopping onto the platform from a not-yet-stopped train was a commonplace stunt for daily commuters in a hurry."
- "Finally he began to mutter some commonplaces which meant nothing particularly."
Etymology
A calque of Latin locus commūnis, referring to a generally applicable literary passage, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κοινὸς τόπος (koinòs tópos).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: κοινὸς τόπος
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɑmənˌpleɪs/
- British English: /ˈkɒmənˌpleɪs/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more commonplace (comparative)
most commonplace (superlative)
common place (alternative, obsolete)
common-place (alternative, archaic)
commonplaces (plural)
commonplaces (present, singular)
commonplacing (participle, present)
commonplaced (participle, past)
commonplaced (past)