commonly understood meaning

USAGE SUMMARY

"commonly understood meaning" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use the phrase when discussing understandings of a certain concept that are widely accepted by members of a certain group or culture. For example: In the local community, the word "home" has a commonly understood meaning of a place of belonging and security.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

All that is necessary for sanity to rule again, on the question of guns, is to restore the amendment to its commonly understood meaning as it was articulated by this wise Republican judge a scant few years ago.

The New Yorker

Perhaps the most commonly understood meaning of the term is as a description of the sophisticated urban music that had been developing since the 1930s, when Louis Jordan's small combo started making blues-based records with humorous lyrics and upbeat rhythms that owed as much to boogie-woogie as to classic blues forms.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These range from informal lists such as those used to categorize the articles in journals, through Nucleic Acids Research's hierarchies of database and Web-server categories (Benson, 2011; Galperin and Fernández-Suárez, 2012), to formal ontologies establishing commonly understood meaning and relations of subjects in focus.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Sir Christopher Frayling, rector of the Royal College of Art The essence of Derrida is inter-linear analysis: that is, reading between the lines as well as on them; seeing what lies behind a text as well as what is commonly understood as its meaning.

The Guardian - Books

However, they also found one third of these clinicians chose "more natural and organic" as the reason for recommending FMT to their patients, which may also be misleading in itself, as "natural" and "organic" are never value-free words but rather commonly understood as the meaning of "safe" and "less risk", somehow "healthier" (Ma et al., 2017).

Protein & Cell

Although the phrase is commonly understood in the Netherlands to mean penile-vaginal intercourse, there may be adolescents for whom this term may hold different meanings (e.g., oral sex, mutual masturbation, sleeping, etc).

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Not all religions create meaning by pointing believers to a personal God, but all religions create meaning by connecting people to something commonly understood to be ultimate or transcendent.

Huffington Post

There is hardly a cultural consensus about what meanings it should convey, or a commonly understood architectural language with which to convey them.

The New York Times - Arts

In fact, several expressions commonly understood in the West including one for fear have very different meanings to one indigenous, isolated society in Papua New Guinea.

Science Magazine

There is disagreement over the distance that the positive effects of clustering actually extend to, however, meaning that the generation of synergetic 'cluster effects' (as they are commonly understood) between firms in Manchester and firms in Newcastle for example could prove difficult.

The Guardian

The family is not downsizing as commonly understood.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase, provide sufficient context to ensure that your audience shares the "commonly understood meaning" you intend. Consider your audience's background and knowledge level.

Common error

Avoid assuming that everyone shares the same "commonly understood meaning". Be mindful of cultural, regional, and professional differences that might influence interpretation. Instead, define the meaning if there are possible misunderstandings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "commonly understood meaning" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "commonly understood" modifies the noun "meaning". It describes a specific type of meaning that is widely accepted or recognized within a particular context. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s grammatically correct. The provided examples in Ludwig are used to describe or clarify a term.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "commonly understood meaning" is a useful tool for emphasizing shared understanding and avoiding ambiguity. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and can be used to discuss concepts with understandings widely accepted by members of a certain group or culture. While not extremely frequent, this phrase is often found in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. Remember to use it judiciously, ensuring your audience shares the intended understanding and clarifying the meaning when necessary. When in doubt, consider alternative phrases like "generally accepted meaning" or "widely recognized meaning" to achieve the best clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

generally accepted meaning

Replaces "commonly understood" with "generally accepted", focusing on widespread agreement.

widely recognized meaning

Substitutes "commonly understood" with "widely recognized", emphasizing broad awareness.

conventional understanding

Uses "conventional" instead of "commonly understood", highlighting traditional or established views.

established meaning

Highlights the firm establishment and recognition of the meaning.

popular interpretation

Replaces "meaning" with "interpretation", suggesting a more subjective understanding.

accepted interpretation

Emphasizes agreement on a particular interpretation.

standard definition

Focuses on the established definition of something.

prevailing sense

Highlights the dominant or widespread feeling or understanding.

usual connotation

Focuses on the implied or suggested meaning that is typical.

public perception

Shifts the focus to how the general public views or understands something.

FAQs

How can I use "commonly understood meaning" in a sentence?

You can use "commonly understood meaning" to refer to a definition or interpretation that is widely accepted. For example, "In this community, 'family' has a "commonly understood meaning" that extends beyond blood relations".

What are some alternatives to "commonly understood meaning"?

Some alternatives include "generally accepted meaning", "widely recognized meaning", or "conventional understanding".

When is it appropriate to use "commonly understood meaning"?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize that a particular meaning is widely accepted within a specific group or context, contrasting it with other possible interpretations.

Is "commonly understood meaning" the same as "literal meaning"?

No, "commonly understood meaning" refers to a widely accepted interpretation, while "literal meaning" refers to the direct, dictionary definition. A "commonly understood meaning" might include nuances or cultural context not present in the literal definition.