Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "common multiple" ita ce cikakkiyar lamba wacce ta zama ma'auni na lambobi biyu ko fiye da aka bayar. Ma'ana, idan lambobi biyu ko fiye suna da ma'auni na gama-gari, to wannan ma'auni shine lamba da ke raba ta duk lambobin da aka bayar. Misali, 12 shine ma'auni na gama gari na 2, 3, da 4, saboda ana iya raba su da waɗannan lambobi uku.
