Ask Difference

Common vs. Normal — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 30, 2023
Common denotes frequency or widespread occurrence; normal refers to conformity to a standard or regular pattern.
Common vs. Normal — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Common and Normal

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Key Differences

Common refers to something that is found or occurs often, ubiquitous, and is therefore not unusual. It denotes prevalence and frequent occurrence. On the contrary, normal pertains to conforming to a standard, usual, typical, or expected pattern or condition.
A thing that is common can be observed in many places or among many people. For instance, it's common to find cars in urban areas. Normal, however, does not imply frequency but suggests that something is according with established norms or standards, like having a normal body temperature of 98.6°F.
Common can be synonymous with shared by, belonging to or shared by two or more entities. A common area in a building is accessible to all residents. Normal, in mathematics, refers to being perpendicular; it has specific implications of maintaining a perpendicular position or relation, which is very different from being common.
When common is used to describe something, it may not always have a positive connotation, as it can mean ordinary or lacking distinction. Whereas normal is generally perceived as positive, as it implies stability and conformity to what is socially or culturally accepted.
In summary, common is more about frequency and widespread occurrence, while normal is about conforming to established patterns, standards, or expectations.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

Frequent or widespread
Conforming to a standard

Connotation

Can be neutral or negative
Usually positive

Mathematical Usage

Not specifically applicable
Refers to perpendicularity

Usage in Grammar

Describes shared attributes
Describes standard conditions

Contextual Implication

Ubiquity or prevalence
Regularity or typicality

Compare with Definitions

Common

Ordinary; of frequent occurrence.
Eating at restaurants is common in big cities.

Normal

Psychologically and physically healthy.
After the trauma, it took her a while to feel normal again.

Common

Shared by, or belonging to two or more.
The kitchen was a common area shared by all the housemates.

Normal

Standard; used, serving, or occurring as a usual or regular equivalent.
Adjust the settings to normal mode.

Common

Usual; customary.
It is common to shake hands when meeting someone for the first time.

Normal

Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical
Normal room temperature.
One's normal weight.
Normal diplomatic relations.

Common

Lacking special distinction; ordinary.
He had the common look of a regular office worker.

Normal

(Biology) Functioning or occurring in a natural way; lacking observable abnormalities or deficiencies.

Common

Belonging equally to or shared equally by two or more; joint
Common interests.

Normal

Relating to or designating the normality of a solution.

Common

Of or relating to the community as a whole; public
For the common good.

Normal

Abbr. n Designating an aliphatic hydrocarbon having an acyclic unbranched chain of carbon atoms.

Common

Widespread; prevalent
Gas stations became common as the use of cars grew.

Normal

Being at right angles; perpendicular.

Common

Occurring frequently or habitually; usual
It is common for movies to last 90 minutes or more.

Normal

Perpendicular to the direction of a tangent line to a curve or a tangent plane to a surface.

Common

Most widely known; ordinary
The common housefly.

Normal

Relating to or characterized by average intelligence or development.

Common

Having no special designation, status, or rank
A common sailor.

Normal

Free from mental illness; sane.

Common

Not distinguished by superior or noteworthy characteristics; average
The common spectator.

Normal

The usual, expected, or standard state, form, amount, or degree
Temperatures have been above normal for this time of year.

Common

Of no special quality; standard
Common procedure.

Normal

(Mathematics) A perpendicular, especially a perpendicular to a line tangent to a plane curve or to a plane tangent to a space curve.

Common

Of mediocre or inferior quality; second-rate
Common cloth.

Normal

According to norms or rules or to a regular pattern.
Organize the data into third normal form.

Common

Unrefined or coarse in manner; vulgar
Behavior that branded him as common.

Normal

(mathematics) Adhering to or being what is considered natural or regular in a particular field or context:

Common

Either masculine or feminine in gender.

Normal

Usual, healthy; not sick or ill or unlike oneself.
John is feeling normal again.

Common

Representing one or all of the members of a class; not designating a unique entity.

Normal

Teaching teachers how to teach to certain norms
My grandmother attended Mankato State Normal School.

Common

Commons The common people; commonalty.

Normal

(chemistry) Of, relating to, or being a solution containing one equivalent weight of solute per litre of solution.

Common

The social class composed of commoners.

Normal

(organic chemistry) Describing a straight chain isomer of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, or an aliphatic compound in which a substituent is in the 1- position of such a hydrocarbon.

Common

The parliamentary representatives of this class.

Normal

In which all parts of an object vibrate at the same frequency normal mode]].

Common

Commons The House of Commons.

Normal

In the default position, set for the most frequently used route.

Common

A tract of land, usually in a centrally located spot, belonging to or used by a community as a whole
A band concert on the village common.

Normal

(geometry) Perpendicular to a tangent of a curve or derivative of a surface.
The interior normal vector of an ideal perfect sphere will always point toward the center, and the exterior normal vector directly away, and both will always be co-linear with the ray whose' tip ends at the point of intersection, which is the intersection of all three sets of points.

Common

The legal right of a person to use the lands or waters of another, as for fishing.

Normal

(geometry) A line or vector that is perpendicular to another line, surface, or plane.

Common

Commons(used with a sing. verb) A building or hall for dining, typically at a university or college.

Normal

A person who is healthy, normal, as opposed to one who is morbid.

Common

Common stock.

Normal

A person who is normal, who fits into mainstream society, as opposed to those who live alternative lifestyles.

Common

(Ecclesiastical) A service used for a particular class of festivals.

Normal

The usual state.
His workload is now back to normal.
Heavy workload is the new normal.

Common

Mutual; shared by more than one.
The two competitors have the common aim of winning the championship.
Winning the championship is an aim common to the two competitors.

Normal

According to an established norm, rule, or principle; conformed to a type, standard, or regular form; performing the proper functions; not abnormal; regular; natural; analogical.
Deviations from the normal type.

Common

Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.
It is common to find sharks off this coast.

Normal

According to a square or rule; perpendicular; forming a right angle; as, a line normal to the base. Specifically: Of or pertaining to a normal.

Common

Found in large numbers or in a large quantity; usual.
Commoner used to be commoner, but more common is now more common.
Sharks are common in these waters.
It differs from the common blackbird in the size of its beak.

Normal

Standard; original; exact; typical.

Common

Simple, ordinary or vulgar.

Normal

Any perpendicular.

Common

(grammar) Of, pertaining or belonging to the common gender.

Normal

A straight line or plane drawn from any point of a curve or surface so as to be perpendicular to the curve or surface at that point.

Common

(grammar) Of or pertaining to common nouns as opposed to proper nouns.

Normal

Something regarded as a normative example;
The convention of not naming the main character
Violence is the rule not the exception
His formula for impressing visitors

Common

Vernacular, referring to the name of a kind of plant or animal, i.e., common name vs. scientific name.

Normal

Conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal;
Serve wine at normal room temperature
Normal diplomatic relations
Normal working hours
Normal word order
Normal curiosity
The normal course of events

Common

(obsolete) Profane; polluted.

Normal

In accordance with scientific laws

Common

(obsolete) Given to lewd habits; prostitute.

Normal

Being approximately average or within certain limits in e.g. intelligence and development;
A perfectly normal child
Of normal intelligence
The most normal person I've ever met

Common

Mutual good, shared by more than one.

Normal

Forming a right angle

Common

A tract of land in common ownership; common land.

Normal

Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.
The train is running late; it normally arrives on time.

Common

The people; the community.

Normal

Perpendicular or at right angles.
The line is normal to the plane.

Common

(legal) The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right.

Normal

Regular; conforming to the norm.
A normal workday lasts eight hours.

Common

(obsolete) To communicate (something).

Common

(obsolete) To converse, talk.

Common

(obsolete) To have sex.

Common

(obsolete) To participate.

Common

(obsolete) To have a joint right with others in common ground.

Common

(obsolete) To board together; to eat at a table in common.

Common

Belonging or relating equally, or similarly, to more than one; as, you and I have a common interest in the property.
Though life and sense be common to men and brutes.

Common

Belonging to or shared by, affecting or serving, all the members of a class, considered together; general; public; as, properties common to all plants; the common schools; the Book of Common Prayer.
Such actions as the common good requireth.
The common enemy of man.

Common

Often met with; usual; frequent; customary.
Grief more than common grief.

Common

Not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; - often in a depreciatory sense.
The honest, heart-felt enjoyment of common life.
This fact was infamousAnd ill beseeming any common man,Much more a knight, a captain and a leader.
Above the vulgar flight of common souls.

Common

Profane; polluted.
What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Common

Given to habits of lewdness; prostitute.
A dame who herself was common.

Common

The people; the community.

Common

An inclosed or uninclosed tract of ground for pleasure, for pasturage, etc., the use of which belongs to the public; or to a number of persons.

Common

The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; - so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right.

Common

To converse together; to discourse; to confer.
Embassadors were sent upon both parts, and divers means of entreaty were commoned of.

Common

To participate.

Common

To have a joint right with others in common ground.

Common

To board together; to eat at a table in common.

Common

A piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area;
They went for a walk in the park

Common

Belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public;
For the common good
Common lands are set aside for use by all members of a community

Common

Of no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual;
The common man
A common sailor
The common cold
A common nuisance
Followed common procedure
It is common knowledge that she lives alone
The common housefly
A common brand of soap

Common

Common to or shared by two or more parties;
A common friend
The mutual interests of management and labor

Common

Commonly encountered;
A common (or familiar) complaint
The usual greeting

Common

Being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language;
Common parlance
A vernacular term
Vernacular speakers
The vulgar tongue of the masses
The technical and vulgar names for an animal species

Common

Of or associated with the great masses of people;
The common people in those days suffered greatly
Behavior that branded him as common
His square plebeian nose
A vulgar and objectionable person
The unwashed masses

Common

Of low or inferior quality or value;
Of what coarse metal ye are molded
Produced...the common cloths used by the poorer population

Common

Lacking refinement or cultivation or taste;
He had coarse manners but a first-rate mind
Behavior that branded him as common
An untutored and uncouth human being
An uncouth soldier--a real tough guy
Appealing to the vulgar taste for violence
The vulgar display of the newly rich

Common

To be expected; standard;
Common decency

Common

Widespread; prevalent.
Common cold is highly contagious.

Common Curiosities

Can common refer to shared attributes?

Yes, it can refer to attributes or entities shared by two or more.

Is common always used in a positive context?

No, it can have a neutral or negative connotation.

Does normal mean frequent?

No, normal refers to conformity to a standard or regular pattern.

Can something be common but not normal?

Yes, something can be common (frequent) but not normal (conforming to a standard).

Is common synonymous with ordinary?

Yes, it can mean ordinary or lacking special distinction.

Does normal imply stability?

Yes, normal often implies stability and conformity to what is socially or culturally accepted.

Can normal have specific mathematical usage?

Yes, it refers to being perpendicular in mathematics.

Is normal always positive?

Typically, yes. It generally implies conformity to established norms and is perceived as positive.

What does common usually denote?

It usually denotes frequency or widespread occurrence.

Can common refer to shared spaces?

Yes, it can refer to areas or attributes shared by two or more entities.

Can something be normal but not common?

Yes, something can be normal (conforming to a standard) but not common (frequent or widespread).

Is common the same as popular?

While both imply prevalence, common may lack the positive connotation that popular usually carries.

Is normal synonymous with regular?

Yes, normal can mean regular or conforming to the norm.

Is a normal condition the same as a standard condition?

Yes, a normal condition generally aligns with standard or expected conditions.

Can common imply ubiquity?

Yes, common often implies ubiquity or prevalence.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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