Trivia Time

Which word shares a Latin root with communication?

Test Your Knowledge

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.

---

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

---

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

Bird calls are one of the most sophisticated forms of sound-based communication in the natural world, and significant changes can interfere with, among other things, their mating success.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said the information shared by Moscow was “still quite limited” but made no reference to the private diplomatic communication.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The study, recently published in Family Relations, found that couples who exercised together reported better communication, more effective conflict resolution and less marital stress than couples who did not share physical activity.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Khan blamed communication difficulties for a "misunderstanding" and denied advising the reporter to make a false claim or offering to create fabricated evidence.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

It is a sonic event—a communication just like speech, which requires us to listen, process, and respond.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Radio transmissions show trouble with communications between the air traffic controller and the pilot, the Boston Globe reported, based on transmissions provided by LiveATC.net.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Federal troops were patrolling Mekelle and manning key institutions on Sunday, a local journalist told AFP, as communications were restored for the first time in more than a week.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

“Most Meta employees are much more cautious about what they say,” said Nu Wexler, a tech policy communications consultant who previously worked at Facebook.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

“Constellis remains engaged in good faith negotiations,” said Wendy Stough, Constellis’ senior director of marketing, communications and culture, in an email.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Working as a consultant for $40 a day, Elizebeth created and managed their secure communications system.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

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