The Butlers had been serving the Fowls for centuries. It had always been that way. Indeed, there were several eminent linguists of the opinion that this was how the common noun had originated.
Wikipedia foundation.
Common noun — Common Com mon, a. [Compar. {Commoner}; superl. {Commonest}.] [OE. commun, comon, OF. comun, F. commun, fr. L. communis; com + munis ready to be of service; cf. Skr. mi to make fast, set up, build, Goth. gamains common, G. gemein, and E. mean low … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
common noun — n in grammar, a common noun is any noun that is not the name of a particular person, place, or thing. For example, book, sugar , and stuff are common nouns →↑proper noun, noun ↑noun … Dictionary of contemporary English
common noun — noun a noun that denotes any or all members of a class • Ant: ↑proper noun • Hypernyms: ↑noun • Hyponyms: ↑verbal noun, ↑deverbal noun, ↑adnoun * * * noun, pl ⋯ nouns [count] … Useful english dictionary
common noun — noun (C) technical in grammar, a common noun is any noun that is not the name of a particular person, place, or thing: Book and sugar are common nouns. compare proper noun, see also noun … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
common noun — noun count LINGUISTICS a noun that is not the name of a particular person or thing. For example, dog and paper are common nouns, but Mary and New York are proper nouns … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
common noun — common nouns N COUNT A common noun is a noun such as tree , water , or beauty that is not the name of one particular person or thing. Compare proper noun … English dictionary
common noun — ► NOUN ▪ a noun referring to a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual … English terms dictionary
common noun — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms common noun : singular common noun plural common nouns linguistics a noun that is not the name of a particular person or thing. For example, dog and paper are common nouns, but Mary and New York are proper… … English dictionary
common noun — noun Grammar a noun denoting a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual. Often contrasted with proper noun … English new terms dictionary
common noun — noun Date: 1656 a noun that may occur with limiting modifiers (as a or an, some, every, and my) and that designates any one of a class of beings or things … New Collegiate Dictionary
