Uncommon

/ʌnˈkɑːmən/ adjective

Definition

Not happening often or not seen in many places; rare or unusual.

Etymology

From the prefix 'un-' (not) plus 'common,' which comes from Latin 'communis' meaning 'shared' or 'general.' So uncommon literally means 'not shared by everyone' or 'not general.'

Kelly Says

The word 'uncommon' is interesting because it's a politer way of saying 'rare' or 'unusual'—it suggests something is special or noteworthy without being totally bizarre. Marketing people love this word because calling something 'uncommon' makes it sound desirable rather than weird.

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