Common Noun (Noun)
Meaning
A noun that denotes any or all members of a class.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The word 'city' is a common noun because it denotes any or all cities, rather than a specific one.
- A common noun is a noun that can be used for any member of a class, such as 'teacher' or 'student'.
- Proper nouns are often capitalized, whereas common nouns are typically written in lowercase, unless at the start of a sentence.
- Common nouns refer to general terms that can be applied to any member of a class or group, such as 'car' or 'animal'.
- In contrast to proper nouns, common nouns do not identify a specific individual, place, or thing.