How to pronounce common
Say it like KOM-un. Common has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce common. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOM
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Common pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of common
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOM-un.
What does common mean?
- belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public“for the common good”“common lands are set aside for use by all members of a community”
- having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual“the common man”“a common sailor”
- common to or shared by two or more parties“a common friend”“the mutual interests of management and labor”
- a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area“they went for a walk in the park”
Where does common come from?
From Middle English comun, from Anglo-Norman comun, from Old French comun (rare in the Gallo-Romance languages, but reinforced as a Carolingian calque of Proto-West Germanic *gamainī (“common”) in Old French), from Latin commūnis (“common,
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying common
How do you pronounce common?
Say KOM-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑmən/. In British English it is /ˈkɒmən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in common?
Common has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOM). Broken into parts: KOM · un.
Is common pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈkɒmən/ (KOM-un).