common sense

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ˈcom•mon ˈsense, n. [uncountable]

1. sound practical judgment:
   It's just good common sense to look both ways before crossing a street.

com•mon•sense, adj. [before a noun]

a commonsense attitude.

com•mon•sen•si•cal, com•mon•sen•si•ble, adj. 
com•mon•sen•si•cal•ly, com•mon•sen•si•bly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

com′mon sense′, 

1. sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like;
   normal native intelligence.

• translation of Latin sēnsus commūnis, itself translation of Greek koinè̄ aísthēsis 1525–35

com′mon-sense′, com′mon•sense′, adj. 
com′mon•sen′si•cal, com′mon•sen′si•ble, adj. 
com′mon•sen′si•cal•ly, com′mon•sen′si•bly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

common sense noun

1. plain ordinary good judgment; sound practical sense

adjective common-sense, common-sensical, commonsensical, commonsensible

1. inspired by or displaying sound practical sense