res communes

plural noun

res com·​mu·​nes

ˌrāskəˈmüˌnās,

ˌrēzkəˈmyü(ˌ)nēz

Roman & civil law

: things owned by no one and subject to use by all : things (as light, air, the sea, running water) incapable of entire exclusive appropriation

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, literally, common things

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