Etymology: < common adj., in various specific uses significantly influenced by (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French commune, (ii) post-classical Latin communia, and (iii) classical Latin commūne (see below for relevant senses of each of these). For specific uses of the plural see commons n. Compare: (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French commune (French commune ) community, group of people, body of free citizens of a community (12th cent.; in Middle French also as masculine commun ), the common people, non-nobles (12th cent.; used both as collective singular and as plural; in Middle French also as masculine commun ), common land (13th cent. in Anglo-Norman), common right, privilege (13th cent. in Anglo-Norman), subsistence, resources on which to live, shared funds (13th cent. as singular in Anglo-Norman, 14th cent. in plural; in Middle French and French also as masculine commun in the sense ‘shared funds or resources’); specific uses as noun of the feminine of commun common adj.; (ii) post-classical Latin communia (also communa ) right of common (7th cent.; frequently from 12th cent. in British sources), allowance of food from a common fund (9th cent.; from 12th cent. in British sources), community, commonalty, common land (11th cent.; frequently from 12th cent. in British sources), common fund (frequently from 12th cent. in British sources), fellowship, social intercourse (from 1200 in British sources), reinterpretation as feminine singular of classical Latin commūnia , neuter plural (see below); (iii) classical Latin commūne property or rights held in common, public fund, commonwealth, state, guild, corporation, general rule, (in plural, commūnia ) public interest, the good of all, public places, in post-classical Latin also (in singular) common land (from 13th cent. in British sources; also as communia , plural), liturgical service book (from 13th cent. in British sources, especially in commune sanctorum service book of the saints), use as noun of neuter of commūnis common adj. A later reborrowing of French commune is shown by commune n.¹With sense 1c compare also ancient Greek τὸ κοινόν . With in common at Phrases 1 compare classical Latin in commūnē for joint possession or use, together, jointly, for the good of all concerned, in the public interest, publicly, in general terms, and Anglo-Norman en commune in common, for joint possession or use, together, without dissent, generally, in general, publicly (12th cent.), Middle French en commun together, generally, unanimously (14th cent.).

Etymology: < common v. Compare later commune n.²

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman common (also commone , commoun , commune , comun , comune , comen , comon , etc.), Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French commun (French commun ) relating to all or to a very great number, general, universal (9th cent.), that is done together (11th cent.), ordinary, unremarkable, not distinguished by any special or superior quality, usual, regular, habitual (12th cent.), that involves, concerns, belongs to, or is possessed by all the members of a group, shared (12th cent.), common, free, unrestricted, public, that belongs to all (12th cent. in Anglo-Norman, 14th cent. in Middle French), accessible, approachable (12th cent. in Anglo-Norman, 14th cent. in Middle French), widespread, frequent, commonly found (13th cent.), belonging to a civic authority, as a town, etc. (13th cent. in Anglo-Norman), well known (13th cent. in Anglo-Norman), (of a woman, derogatory) sexually available, or who works as a prostitute (13th cent.), generally known (14th cent.), (in grammar) that denotes any of an indefinite class of entities rather than one specific entity (14th cent.), having the same form for two genders (c1400) < classical Latin commūnis (Old Latin commoinis ) shared, joint, neutral, impartial, shared or possessed by all, of or relating to the whole community, public, national, communal, of or relating to everyone or everything, universal, general, ordinary, courteous, obliging, (in grammar) having the same form for two cases, genders, voices, or meanings, (in rhetoric, of arguments) that can be used by both sides, (in prosody, of syllables) that may be long or short, in post-classical Latin also unclean (Vulgate), mean (11th cent.), (of a woman) sexually available or promiscuous (13th cent.) < com- com- prefix + -mūnis ( < moinis ) bound, under obligation (compare early Latin mūnis obliging, ready to be of service, and immūnis not under obligation, exempt, etc.); either a cognate or a parallel formation is shown by the Germanic base of i-mene adj.Romance parallels. Compare Old Occitan comun , Catalan comú (13th cent.), Spanish comun (13th cent.), Italian comune (12th cent.), Portuguese comum (14th cent.). Specific Senses. With common profit at sense A. 4b compare Anglo-Norman and Middle French commun profit (early 14th cent.). Pronunciation. The position of the main stress varied in early use. Accentuation on the second syllable occurs frequently in Middle English verse and remains in occasional use as late as the 16th cent.