commoner

noun

com·​mon·​er ˈkä-mə-nər How to pronounce commoner (audio)
Synonyms of commonernext
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

Synonyms of commoner

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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 changes include allowing the adoption of distant male relatives raised as commoners to become royals and father future heirs, and letting princesses keep their royal status after marrying commoners. — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 Previously, princesses who marry a commoner had to renounce their royal status and leave the royal family. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 In the 13th century, as the Magna Carta encoded the rights of English barons, the Carta de Foresta laid out the rights of commoners to pasture cattle in the open places among the English forests. — James Whorton Jr, Longreads, 13 Oct. 2026 The former couple had broken up in 1955, as Margaret weighed losing her royal income and claim to the throne against marrying Townsend (a commoner and divorcé). — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026 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

Phrases Containing commoner

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common entrance
commoner
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Cite this Entry

“Commoner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commoner. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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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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