Commonplace

//ˈkɑmənˌpleɪs// adj, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Ordinary; not having any remarkable characteristics.

    ""This Mr. Tyrrel," she said, in a tone of authoritative decision, "seems after all a very ordinary sort of person, quite a commonplace man.""

Adjective
  1. 1
    not challenging; dull and lacking excitement wordnet
  2. 2
    completely ordinary and unremarkable wordnet
  3. 3
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A platitude or cliché.

    "Finally he began to mutter some commonplaces which meant nothing particularly."

  2. 2
    a trite or obvious remark wordnet
  3. 3
    Something that is ordinary; something commonly done or occurring.

    "It is odd how easily the common-places of morality or of sentiment glide off in conversation. Well, they are "exceedingly helpful," and so Lord Avonleigh found them."

  4. 4
    A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to.

    "Whatever, in my reading, occurs concerning this our fellow creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of common-place."

  5. 5
    A commonplace book.
Verb
  1. 1
    To make a commonplace book.
  2. 2
    To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads.

    "I do not apprehend any difficulty in collecting and commonplacing an universal history from the […]historians."

  3. 3
    To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. obsolete

    "And something angered Tamara in the way the Prince assisted in all this, out-commonplacing her friend in commonplaces with the suavest politeness."

Etymology

Etymology 1

A calque of Latin locus commūnis, referring to a generally applicable literary passage, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κοινὸς τόπος (koinòs tópos).

Etymology 2

A calque of Latin locus commūnis, referring to a generally applicable literary passage, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κοινὸς τόπος (koinòs tópos).

Etymology 3

A calque of Latin locus commūnis, referring to a generally applicable literary passage, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κοινὸς τόπος (koinòs tópos).

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