commoner

noun

com·​mon·​er ˈkä-mə-nər How to pronounce commoner (audio)
1
a
: one of the common people
b
: one who is not of noble rank
2
: a student (as at Oxford) who pays for his own board

Examples of commoner in a Sentence

a prince who married a commoner
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The mysterious spirit animal messengers that Ji-noo sends, a tiger and a magpie who represent the nobles and commoners of many Korean folk tales, needed to be otherworldly without being fully demonic. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025 It's long been assumed that khipu production was the domain of this civilization's ruling elites, but a new analysis of a cord made out of human hair finds that even low-class commoners may have engaged in this tradition. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025 Born on a New York farm in 1821, Youmans didn’t come from a notable family or attend elite schools —his name even derives from yeoman, a self-reliant commoner. Sabrina Schaeffer, Oc Register, 4 July 2025 Once reserved for aristocrats, these menageries opened to the public in the 17th and 18th centuries; commoners could also attend performances hosted by itinerant showmen who traveled from town to town with exotic species in tow. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for commoner

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of commoner was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Commoner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commoner. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

commoner

noun
com·​mon·​er ˈkäm-ə-nər How to pronounce commoner (audio)
: one of the common people : a person who is not of noble rank

Biographical Definition

Commoner

biographical name

Com·​mo·​ner ˈkä-mə-nər How to pronounce Commoner (audio)
Barry 1917–2012 American biologist and educator

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