com·mon-law
ˈkä-mən-ˌlȯ 
1
: of, relating to, or based on the common law
2
: relating to or based on a common-law marriage
: the body of law developed in England primarily from judicial decisions based on custom and precedent, unwritten in statute or code, and constituting the basis of the English legal system and of the system in all of the U.S. except Louisiana
Examples of common-law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pilar Arias, Fox News, 21 Oct. 2024
Apricot is survived by two daughters and a common-law spouse.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
So, as society’s understanding and treatment of animals have changed, common law also should change to absorb those new norms.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for common-law 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
North Dakota, however, does not recognize common-law marriages.
—Pilar Arias, Fox News, 21 Oct. 2024
Apricot is survived by two daughters and a common-law spouse.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
Noun
The judge in Hart’s case has yet to rule on the common law immunity argument.
—Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
So, as society’s understanding and treatment of animals have changed, common law also should change to absorb those new norms.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for common-law
Dictionary Entries Near common-law
Cite this Entry
“Common-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/common-law. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
common law
1 of 2 noun
: a body of law that is based on custom and general principles and embodied in case law and that serves as precedent or is applied to situations not covered by statute
the common law of torts
: as
a
: the body of law that was first developed in the English courts of law as distinguished from equity and that allows for particular remedies (as damages or replevin)
in suits at common law…the right of trial by jury shall be preserved—U.S. Constitution amend. VII
compare equity sense 2
U.S. Constitution amend. VII
b
: the body of law developed in England that is the basis of U.S. federal law and of state law in all states except Louisiana compare civil law sense 2, statutory law
common-law
2 of 2 adjective1
: of, relating to, or based on the common law
common-law immunity
2
: relating to or based on a common-law marriage
her common-law husband
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share