1. land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole of a community
Usage: often used in historical contexts
2. a dining hall, especially in a college or university
Usage: institutional
3. the ordinary people of a community as distinguished from those with rank or title
Usage: formal

Examples

• The village commons was used for grazing livestock.
• Students gathered in the commons for lunch.
• The tragedy of the commons occurs when shared resources are overused.
• We met in the student commons to study together.
• The commons voted on the new legislation.
• Medieval peasants had rights to use the commons for firewood.
• The university commons serves over 3,000 meals daily.