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definitions

communalism

[ kuh-myoon-l-iz-uh m, kom-yuh-nl- ]
/ kəˈmyun lˌɪz əm, ˈkɒm yə nl- /
|

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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Nearby words

  1. commove,
  2. comms,
  3. communal,
  4. communal aerial,
  5. communal marriage,
  6. communality,
  7. communalize,
  8. communally,
  9. communard,
  10. communautaire

Origin of communalism

First recorded in 1870–75; communal + -ism
Related formscom·mu·nal·ist, nouncom·mu·nal·is·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for communalism

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 Formscommunalist, 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
Word Origin and History for communalism

communalism

n.

1871 (in reference to Paris), from communal + -ism.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper