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Which word shares a Latin root with communication?

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communication

American  

[kuh-myoo-ni-key-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

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

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

Together, the findings raise questions about how the physical structure of the brain's wiring helps regulate communication.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

It is understood the funding is spent on the UK Youth Parliament's annual conference, held in Brighton last year, plus travel, communication and support staff.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“The bipartisan reaction is really striking — you just don’t really see this on many issues any longer,” said Matt Levendusky, a UPenn professor of political science and communication.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Supporters say the old-school technology remains a vital piece of the government’s emergency communication network and that many Americans continue to depend on it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Since the start of the Peru project, Jim and Paul, while in good communication through email and phone, had seen each other infrequently.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

The cuts account for about 30% of the company’s workers unionized with The NewsGuild-CWA, a North American labor union of journalists and communications workers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Reserve Bank of Australia communications will again be in focus, while August employment data Thursday will be the week’s main economic release.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Light can transmit huge amounts of information at extraordinary speed, which is why photonic technologies are being explored for faster communications, more powerful computing, and highly sensitive sensors.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

Nicole Leverich, chief communications officer at LinkedIn, shares her top tips on how to network and we took the same question to city workers in New York to find out what has worked for them.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

As for media, it’s singular when you mean the world of mass communications, which is most of the time.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Related Words

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