commonalty: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2+ (Very Low Frequency / Archaic-Legal-Historical)Formal, Archaic, Literary, Historical, Legal
Quick answer
What does “commonalty” mean?
The ordinary people, as distinct from the nobility or ruling classes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The ordinary people, as distinct from the nobility or ruling classes; the common people collectively.
1. The collective body of people without special rank or title in a community, society, or organization. 2. The state of being shared or held in common; commonality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major dialectal differences. Both treat it as an archaic/historical term.
Connotations
Evokes pre-modern social structures, feudal systems, or historic legal charters (e.g., Magna Carta).
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern usage in both dialects, found almost exclusively in historical texts or deliberate archaic prose.
Grammar
How to Use “commonalty” in a Sentence
the + commonalty + of + [community/realm/nation]adjective (ancient, whole) + commonaltyVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used only in historical, sociological, or legal history contexts discussing pre-modern societies.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
May appear in historical law or political philosophy texts to denote non-noble subjects.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “commonalty”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “commonalty”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “commonalty”
- Misspelling as 'commonality' when referring to people.
- Using it in a modern context (e.g., 'the commonalty of internet users').
- Pronouncing it with a strong /æ/ sound (/kəˈmɒnælti/) instead of a schwa /ə/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Commonalty' (archaic) refers to the common people as a group. 'Commonality' (modern) refers to a shared feature or attribute.
No, it would sound archaic and misplaced. Use 'general staff', 'wider employee base', or 'non-management personnel' instead.
Not exactly. While both refer to groups, 'community' is neutral and modern, implying shared location or interests. 'Commonalty' specifically implies a non-elite social class within a historical hierarchy.
Its meaning has been absorbed by more common, less socially stratified terms like 'public', 'people', or 'citizens', reflecting modern democratic ideals rather than feudal class distinctions.
The ordinary people, as distinct from the nobility or ruling classes.
Commonalty is usually formal, archaic, literary, historical, legal in register.
Commonalty: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒmənəlti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːmənəlti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a medieval town: the NOBILITY live in the castle (think 'noble'), while the COMMONALTY live in the town below (the common 'all' of the people).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL HIERARCHY IS A VERTICAL SPACE (the commonalty is at the bottom/lower part of the social body).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'commonalty' MOST appropriately used today?