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Which word shares a Latin root with communication?

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communication

American  

[kuh-myoo-ni-kay-shuhn] / kəˌmju nɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• communications
  plural

1. the act or process of communicating; fact of being communicated.

2. the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.

3. something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted.

4. a document or message imparting news, views, information, etc.

5. passage, or an opportunity or means of passage, between places.

6. communications,

   1. means of sending messages, orders, etc., including telephone, telegraph, radio, and television.

   2. routes and transportation for moving troops and supplies from a base to an area of operations.

7. Biology.

   1. activity by one organism that changes or has the potential to change the behavior of other organisms.

   2. transfer of information from one cell or molecule to another, as by chemical or electrical signals.

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communication British  

/ kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of communicating; the imparting or exchange of information, ideas, or feelings

2. something communicated, such as a message, letter, or telephone call

3. 1. (usually plural; sometimes functioning as singular) the study of ways in which human beings communicate, including speech, gesture, telecommunication systems, publishing and broadcasting media, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      communication theory

4. a connecting route, passage, or link

5. (plural) military the system of routes and facilities by which forces, supplies, etc, are moved up to or within an area of operations

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncommunication
  noun
• overcommunication
  noun
• precommunication
  noun
• self-communication
  noun
• communicational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• communications
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of communication

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English communicacioun, from Middle French, from Latin commūnicātiōn-, stem of commūnicātiō, equivalent to commūnicāt(us) ( see communicate) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

Good communication is at the heart of good relationships. Communication is the process of giving information or ideas to someone, as by using words, actions, or sounds. In the plural form, communications has a few specialized meanings: a field of study, a profession, or a system involving the sending of information to people by the use of technology such as radio or satellite. In these senses, communications can be used with a singular or plural verb. The noun communication is from Latin communicare "to share, participate" (from communis "common") plus the suffix –ion "an act or process."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

communication communications

Successful communication relies on a range of signals including speech, vocal tone, facial expressions and physical gestures.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

French aerospace and defence group Thales said third-quarter sales and orders rose strongly as it benefited from higher European spending on weapons and satellite communication systems.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

The digital revolution rocked the analog world of art, media and communication on a scale the industrial revolution did to agrarian and handicraft economies more than a century ago.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

These processes help regulate essential functions such as cellular structure, communication between cells, and metabolism.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026

“And therefore,” I went on, “with your leave, I will suggest that we hold no kind of communication in future.”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

He revived the idea after buying Twitter and renaming it X in 2022, positioning it as a super-app that could handle communications and financial transactions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Ukraine relies on Starlink - owned by Musk's SpaceX company - for a range of battle communications and early warning systems during Russian missile attacks.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Rubio said Wednesday that Washington had no prior knowledge of the slowdown of the SpaceX satellite communications.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

Horvath, who represents the entire Palisades burn area, sent Bass multiple text messages in the weeks that followed the fire expressing frustration over her handling of communications and other issues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

“I wanted to introduce myself; I’m the communications manager for the Oakland Police Department.”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

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Related Words

• connection
• contact
• conversation
• delivery
• intelligence
• link
• transmission

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