uncommon

/ʌn'kɔmən/

Thân thiện

The artist has an uncommon talent for capturing light.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not common or ordinarily encountered; unusual, rare: Describes something that is not frequently seen, found, or experienced; it deviates from what is typical or usual.
   • Remarkable in degree, amount, or character; exceptional: Describes something that is unusually great, intense, or of a superior quality.

Usage

• As an adjective, "uncommon" modifies a noun to indicate its rarity or exceptional nature.
• It can describe both tangible things (objects, animals) and intangible qualities (abilities, traits, events).
• It is often used in formal or literary contexts but is also suitable for general use.

Examples

• Describing rarity:
  • The birdwatcher was thrilled to see an uncommon species of owl in the forest.
  • Snow in this coastal city is an uncommon event.
• Describing exceptional degree or quality:
  • She showed uncommon courage in the face of danger.
  • He has an uncommon talent for solving complex puzzles.

Advanced Usage

• "Uncommon to": Not typical or usual for a particular person, place, or thing.
  • Such generosity is uncommon to his normally frugal nature.
• "Not uncommon": A double negative used to mean "fairly common" or "not unusual." This is a common rhetorical device for understatement.
  • Minor delays are not uncommon on this railway line.

Variants and Related Words

• Uncommonly (adverb): To an unusual degree; remarkably.
  • The day was uncommonly warm for October.
• Common (adjective): The direct antonym, meaning frequent, ordinary, or shared by many.

Synonyms

• Rare: Infrequently occurring or found. (e.g., a rare gem)
• Unusual: Not habitually or commonly occurring or done.
• Exceptional: Unusually good; standing out from others.
• Infrequent: Not occurring often; rare.

Antonyms

• Common: Occurring, found, or done often; prevalent.
• Ordinary: With no special or distinctive features; normal.
• Usual: Habitually or typically occurring or done.

Idioms and Phrases

• Uncommon sense: A play on the phrase "common sense," implying a level of wisdom or judgment that is exceptionally good or rare.
  • It took uncommon sense to navigate that delicate negotiation successfully.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind
   • what is so rare as a day in June-J.R.Lowell
   • a rare skill
   • an uncommon sense of humor
   • she was kind to an uncommon degree
2. not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
   • uncommon birds
   • frost and floods are uncommon during these months
   • doing an uncommon amount of business
   • an uncommon liking for money
   • he owed his greatest debt to his mother's uncommon character and ability

Từ đồng nghĩa

• rare