com·mon·place / ˈkämənˌplās/ • adj. not unusual; ordinary: unemployment was commonplace in his profession. ∎  not interesting or original; trite: the usual commonplace remarks.• n. 1. a usual or ordinary thing. ∎  a trite saying or topic; a platitude.2. a notable quotation copied into a commonplace book.DERIVATIVES: com·mon·place·ness n.ORIGIN: mid 16th cent. (originally common place): translation of Latin locus communis, rendering Greek koinos topos ‘general theme.’

commonplace †passage of general application, leading text, theme; notable passage stored up for use in a book of common places or commonplace book; ordinary topic, stock theme or subject. XVI. As adj. XVII. tr. L. locus commūnis, tr. Gr. koinòs tópos (cf. TOPIC).