commoner
/'kɔmənə/
Definition
Noun: 1. A person who is not a member of the nobility or aristocracy: A commoner is an individual who does not hold a hereditary title, such as duke, earl, or lord. This term historically distinguishes the general populace from the titled peerage. 2. A person who has the right to use common land: In a historical legal context, a commoner is someone who holds specific rights, such as the right to pasture animals, on land owned by another (typically a lord or the community). 3. (At some universities, especially Oxford) A student who does not hold a scholarship or specific financial award from a college.
Usage
- The term is primarily used in historical, social, and legal contexts to discuss class structure.
- It can be neutral, descriptive, or sometimes carry a slightly pejorative connotation when used to emphasize a lack of noble status.
- In modern British contexts, it is often used in contrast to the royal family or the peerage.
Examples
- Historical/Social Context:
- In medieval England, a commoner could not own land in the same way a noble could.
- The king's marriage to a commoner was considered scandalous at the time.
- Legal/Historical Context:
- The villagers were commoners with ancient rights to collect firewood from the forest.
- University Context:
- He entered the college as a commoner, not as a scholar.
Advanced Usage
- "The commoners": Used collectively to refer to the ordinary people, as opposed to the elite or ruling class.
- The new tax policy angered both the nobility and the commoners.
- "Rise from commoner to...": A phrase describing significant social mobility.
- He rose from a commoner to one of the most powerful merchants in the city.
Variants and Related Words
- Common (adjective): Belonging to or shared by the general public; ordinary.
- It was a common practice among the villagers.
- Commonality (noun): The sharing of common attributes or features; the common people as a group.
- Commons (noun, plural): 1. The common people. 2. A dining hall at a college. 3. Land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole community (e.g., , ).
Synonyms
- Plebeian: (Historical, often slightly formal or literary) A commoner in ancient Rome or, by extension, a member of the lower social classes.
- Common man / Common person: A neutral, modern phrase for an ordinary citizen.
- Everyman: A representative of ordinary humanity.
- Citizen: A legally recognized subject or national of a state.
Antonyms
- Nobleman / Noblewoman: A person who holds a hereditary title or rank.
- Aristocrat: A member of the aristocracy.
- Peer: (In the UK) A member of the nobility (e.g., a duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron).
- Lord / Lady: Titles for members of the nobility.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- (As) common as muck: (British English, informal and derogatory) Used to describe someone or something considered very low-class or vulgar.
- The common touch: The ability of a leader or famous person to relate to and communicate with ordinary people.
- Despite his wealth, the politician was praised for having the common touch.
Noun
-
a person who holds no title
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