2 syllables: com, mons. Stress on com.
KAH-muhnz
/ˈkɑmənz/
commons is pronounced KAH-muhnz (/ˈkɑmənz/). It has two syllables (com-mons), with the stress on "com". Commons refers to shared resources or areas used by a community, or to the “commons” as a classically defined public realm. In plural form it can denote multiple shared resources or the concept of commoners collectively. The term combines typical plural morphology with a meaning anchored in togetherness, everyday usage, and communal access, often contrasting with private property or exclusive domains.
Commons refers to shared resources or areas used by a community, or to the “commons” as a classically defined public realm. In plural form it can denote multiple shared resources or the concept of commoners collectively. The term combines typical plural morphology with a meaning anchored in togetherness, everyday usage, and communal access, often contrasting with private property or exclusive domains.
"The villagers maintain the village commons as a place for gatherings and picnics."
"Open data should become part of the digital commons, accessible to everyone."
"The club uses the commons for meetings and informal events."
Pronounce as COM-uhnz, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈkɒmənz/ in US/UK/AU. Start with a clear /k/ closure, then /ɒ/ (like 'cot'), move to a schwa /ə/ or near-schwa for the second syllable, and finish with an /nz/ cluster where /n/ is lightly voiced before the voiced /z/. In connected speech, the /ən/ often reduces to a quick /ə/ or even a syllabic /n/ before the final /z/. Listening reference: try Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations for the same IPA: /ˈkɒmənz/.
Common errors include merging the two syllables too tightly, producing /ˈkɒmns/ omitting the /ə/ vowel, or turning the final cluster into /s/ or /z/ without the preceding nasal. Another pitfall is misplacing the stress on the second syllable (e.g., /ˈkɒmənz/ vs /ˌkɒmənz/). To correct: clearly articulate /k/ + /ɒ/ then insert a short schwa /ə/ before the /m/ and finish with /ənz/ rather than a simple /nz/. Practice with a record-and-replay to ensure the aspiration on /k/ and the light vowel in /ə/ stay distinct.
In US and UK, initial /k/ is hard and /ɒ/ is an open back rounded vowel; Australians may show a shorter /ɒ/ or a slightly centralized quality. The rhotic influence in US American speech might color the preceding vowel, but in /ˈkɒmənz/ rhoticity does not add a rhotics sound after the vowel. The final /nz/ cluster remains consistently voiced in all three, though Australian speakers may produce a shorter schwa and a crisper /z/. Overall the main variation is vowel quality in /ɒ/ vs /ɒ̈/ and the rhythm of the /ə/ in the second syllable.
Two main challenges: the unstressed schwa in the second syllable and the nasal+voiced fricative cluster /nz/ at the end. The tongue must stay relaxed for /ə/ while the jaw drops slightly for the /ɒ/; then you transition quickly to /nz/, ensuring the /n/ precedes the /z/ cleanly. Incorrectly widening the second vowel or slurring into /mz/ can distort the sound. Practice with minimal pairs and slow reiteration of the /kɒ/ + schwa + /nz/ sequence.
A key nuance is the linking of the second syllable's schwa to the final /nz/ in fast speech, often resulting in a near-syllable (/ˈkɒmənz/ with a quick, nearly merged /ən/ before /z/). You should maintain separate nasal and fricative timing while allowing a subtle reduction in the /ə/ without losing the /n/ onset of the final cluster. This helps avoid turning it into a long /ənz/ or a muted /nz/.
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Commons derives from the Old French comun, meaning ‘common, shared by all,’ which in turn comes from Latin communis ‘common, public, general’ from com- ‘together’ + -munis ‘of or belonging to a community.’ In Middle English, commons indicated not just a place but the people who share it (the commons) and the things that are held in common. The plural form commons appears in the 13th–14th centuries as a collective noun, extending to refer to the general body of people, and by the 14th century also to the land or resources shared by a community. The word’s semantic trajectory mirrors social changes: from a tangible meadow or pasture to a more abstract concept of shared resources, public rights, and the social contract around communal spaces. The term remains embedded in discussions about public goods, open access, and collaborative governance, with modern uses stretching from environmental policy to digital spaces where data and information are treated as commons. First known use attested in Middle English texts around the 13th century, with widespread adoption in legal and civic discourse by the 14th and 15th centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "commons" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "commons" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "commons"
-mes sounds
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