Definition of the word commonplace book

The term "commonplace book" originated in the 16th century, during the Renaissance, when scholars and intellectuals began to compile notes, quotes, and ideas related to their studies in what were essentially personal reference books. The term "commonplace" literally translates to "things frequently encountered" in Middle English, and the idea behind a commonplace book was to collect and arrange these familiar ideas or "commonplaces" in an organized and easy-to-reference format. These books were often filled with quotes from classical works, as well as notes on math, science, philosophy, and other subjects of study, and served as a way for scholars to think critically about the ideas they encountered and to better remember and synthesize them. As the practice of keeping commonplace books became more widespread, the term "commonplace book" came to be commonly used as a descriptor for these reference materials. Today, the concept of the commonplace book is still relevant, as digital tools like note-taking apps and online databases offer modern equivalents for sharing and organizing ideas in easily-accessible ways.