Common Nouns - Definition, Examples and Usage | Testbook

What is a Common Noun?

Nouns are generally categorized into two broad types – common nouns and proper nouns. Proper nouns are specific names for particular people, places, brands, months, days, historical events, eras, nationalities, countries, and languages. On the other hand, common nouns are generalized terms used to denote ordinary people, places, animals, birds, insects, reptiles, ideas, objects, and more.

Defining Common Noun

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a common noun is 'a noun that can occur with limiting modifiers (such as a , an , some , every , and my ) and represents any one of a class of beings or things'. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a common noun as 'a noun that is the name of a group of similar things, such as “table” or “book”, and not of a specific person, place, or thing'.

Illustrative Examples of Common Nouns

Common Nouns Denoting People

• Student
• Teacher
• Doctor
• Nurse
• Artist
• Engineer
• Chef
• Farmer
• Musician
• Athlete
• Writer
• Scientist

Common Nouns Denoting Animals

• Cat
• Tiger
• Bear
• Fish
• Fox
• Deer
• Rabbit
• Squirrel
• Lion
• Zebra
• Giraffe
• Hippopotamus

Common Nouns Denoting Birds

• Sparrow
• Pigeon
• Owl
• Parrot
• Penguin
• Ostrich
• Peacock
• Hawk
• Falcon
• Robin
• Canary
• Heron

Common Nouns Denoting Insects

• Butterfly
• Ant
• Beetle
• Dragonfly
• Flea
• Grasshopper
• Moth
• Spider
• Termite
• Ladybug

Common Nouns Denoting Reptiles

• Turtle
• Lizard
• Iguana
• Dinosaur
• Geko

Common Nouns Denoting Places

• City
• Park
• Hospital
• Library
• Restaurant
• Museum
• Farm
• Beach
• School
• University
• Airport
• Market

Common Nouns Denoting Objects

• Book
• Chair
• Phone
• Car
• Table
• Shoe
• Shirt
• Bag
• Pen
• Computer
• Watch
• Lamp

Common Nouns Denoting Ideas

• Love
• Wisdom
• Honesty
• Courage
• Freedom
• Peace
• Justice
• Knowledge
• Time
• Progress

Instances of Common Nouns in Sentences

Here are some sentences illustrating the use of common nouns.

• I bought a new book for my English class.
• Can you please pass me the salt ?
• The cat is sleeping on the sofa.
• My sister is a talented musician.
• The sun rises in the east.
• I left my bag in the car.
• The tree in our backyard is very old.
• I love the smell of fresh coffee in the morning.
• The restaurant was full of people.
• My phone is not working properly.