communal

[kuh-myoon-l, kom-yuh-nl]

adjective

1. used or shared in common by everyone in a group.

   a communal jug of wine.

2. of, by, or belonging to the people of a community; shared or participated in by the public.

   communal land; Building the playground was a communal project.

   Synonyms: collective, common, public

3. pertaining to a commune or a community.

   communal life.

4. engaged in by or involving two or more communities.

   communal conflict.

communal

/ ˌkɒmjʊˈnælɪtɪ, ˈkɒmjʊnəl /

adjective

1. belonging or relating to a community as a whole

2. relating to different groups within a society

   communal strife

3. of or relating to a commune or a religious community

Other Word Forms

• communally adverb
• communality noun
• intercommunal adjective
• noncommunal adjective
• noncommunally adverb
• uncommunal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of communal¹

First recorded in 1805–15; from French, from Latin commūnālis, equivalent to commūn(e) “community, state” + -ālis adjective suffix; commune ², -al ¹

Example Sentences

And there's a communal euphoria in singing along to hits like Paradise, The Scientist, Yellow and Sky Full of Stars.

From BBC

A ritual, “The Cortège” is a communal experience, one that seeks to erase borders between audience and performer while imagining a more optimistic world.

From Los Angeles Times

A communal kitchen ladled out potato soup for their dinner.

From BBC

The door to their communal block of flats was supposed to be kept shut and Mr Ahmed was worried about safety, but Whybrow had pinned the door open while he worked on his bike.

From BBC

It feels so communal, and everyone claps at the end.

From Los Angeles Times