the least common — used to describe the option, type, or item that occurs with the smallest frequency among a group being compared
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: used to describe the option, type, or item that occurs with the smallest frequency among a group being compared
Pronunciation (IPA): /ðə liːst ˈkɑːmən/
Example Sentences
- Out of all the pizza toppings, pineapple is surprisingly not the least common—my friend actually loves it!
- According to the survey, 'boredom' was the least common reason students gave for skipping class—apparently they had better excuses.
- In this dataset, red is the least common color among the marbles collected.
the least common
ADJECTIVE[/ðə liːst ˈkɑːmən/]
used to describe the option, type, or item that occurs with the smallest frequency among a group being compared
Among all the marbles in the jar, the blue star is the least common one.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Least derives from Old English læst, the superlative form of little, meaning 'smallest in amount or degree'. Common comes from Latin communis, meaning 'shared' or 'belonging to all'. Together, the phrase denotes something occurring with the smallest frequency or prevalence.
Breakdown
the (definite article) + least (superlative of little, from Old English læst) + common (from Latin communis, meaning shared or general). The phrase combines a superlative adjective with an adjective derived from Latin to express minimal occurrence or prevalence.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Out of all the pizza toppings, pineapple is surprisingly not the least common—my friend actually loves it!”
“According to the survey, 'boredom' was the least common reason students gave for skipping class—apparently they had better excuses.”
“In this dataset, red is the least common color among the marbles collected.”
“The least common mistake in the essay contest was actually spelling errors—most students struggled with grammar instead.”
📚Related Words
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