common knowledge: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal and informal
Quick answer
What does “common knowledge” mean?
Information or facts that are widely known and accepted by most people within a particular community or society.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Information or facts that are widely known and accepted by most people within a particular community or society.
A concept in epistemology referring to information that is not only known by everyone but also known to be known by everyone, creating a shared baseline of understanding.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences. The phrase is used identically.
Connotations
Slightly more frequent in British academic and legal discourse as a formal term.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “common knowledge” in a Sentence
It is common knowledge that + clauseSomething is common knowledgeFor it to be common knowledgeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “common knowledge” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The news quickly common-knowledged its way around the village. (informal, rare)
American English
- The scandal was common-knowledged across the campus. (informal, rare)
adverb
British English
- The policy was common-knowledgely ignored by the staff. (highly informal, non-standard)
American English
- He common-knowledgely assumed everyone had seen the memo. (highly informal, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- It's a common-knowledge fact that it rains a lot here.
American English
- There's a common-knowledge understanding that you don't block the driveway.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to refer to market conditions or competitor information known throughout an industry.
Academic
Used to reference foundational theories or historical facts assumed known by all scholars in a field.
Everyday
Used to refer to local gossip, public event details, or cultural norms.
Technical
In law, refers to facts a court can accept without proof; in game theory, a specific state of shared information.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “common knowledge”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “common knowledge”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “common knowledge”
- Using 'common knowledge' for skills (e.g., 'Driving is common knowledge') instead of factual information.
- Omitting the article 'a' incorrectly when using it predictively (e.g., 'It is common knowledge' NOT 'It is a common knowledge').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it refers to what is widely *believed* to be true. It can be factually incorrect but still held as true by a community.
No, it is typically used as an uncountable noun phrase. 'It is common knowledge' is correct; 'a common knowledge' is incorrect except in very rare, specialised philosophical contexts.
'Common knowledge' is information assumed known by a specific group. 'General knowledge' refers to a broad range of facts about the world, often tested in quizzes.
Use a prepositional phrase: 'common knowledge among economists', 'common knowledge in the industry', 'common knowledge to everyone here'.
Information or facts that are widely known and accepted by most people within a particular community or society.
Common knowledge is usually formal and informal in register.
Common knowledge: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒmən ˈnɒlɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːmən ˈnɑːlɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's no secret that... (similar function)”
- “Everyone and their dog knows... (informal equivalent)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a COMMON room where everyone KNOWs the same LEDGE (base) of information.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A COMMON POSSESSION (shared property) / KNOWLEDGE IS A PUBLIC SPACE (accessible to all).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'common knowledge' used INCORRECTLY?