communalism

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

/ kəˈmyun lˌɪz əm, ˈkɒm yə nl- /

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noun

a theory or system of government according to which each commune is virtually an independent state and the nation is merely a federation of such states.

the principles or practices of communal ownership.

strong allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole.

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Origin of communalism

First recorded in 1870–75; communal + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM communalism

com·mu·nal·ist, nouncom·mu·nal·is·tic, adjective

Words nearby communalism

commotion, commove, comms, communal, communal aerial, communalism, communality, communalize, communal marriage, Communard, communautaire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use communalism in a sentence

It is an interesting fact that communalism has been confined to animals of comparatively low organization.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
In this particular we seem to see an increase of something that may be called communalism, as we go backwards.
Domesday Book and Beyond|Frederic William Maitland
For all this, however, we must be careful not to see more communalism or more local self-government than really exists.
Domesday Book and Beyond|Frederic William Maitland
Why are rooks more sociable than ravens, and what do they gain from such communalism?
Birds in the Calendar|Frederick G. Aflalo

In the Orient the principle of communalism gained such headway as effectually to prevent the introduction of this new principle.
Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic|Sidney L. Gulick

British Dictionary definitions for communalism

communalism

/ (ˈkɒmjʊnəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

a system or theory of government in which the state is seen as a loose federation of self-governing communities

an electoral system in which ethnic groups vote separately for their own representatives

loyalty to the interests of one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole

the practice or advocacy of communal living or ownership

Derived forms of communalism

communalist, nouncommunalistic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012