communion

[ kuh-myoon-yuhn ]
See synonyms for communion on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Often Communion .Also called Holy Communion. Christianity.

    • the celebration of the Eucharist .

    • the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.

    • the elements of the Eucharist; the consecrated bread and wine.

    • the antiphon sung at a Eucharistic service.

  2. a group of persons having a common religious faith; a religious denomination: The Church of Pakistan is part of the Anglican communion.The organization promotes Islamic solidarity and fosters a sense of belonging to the Islamic communion worldwide.

  1. a group of people sharing a profession, hobby, interest, etc.: Just as there are rascals in the communion of bankers, editors, doctors, or barbers, so there are rascals among fishermen.

  2. interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: Each day I spend some time walking the trails in communion with nature.The two enjoyed a wordless communion in the comfort of each other’s company.

  3. association; fellowship: Light has no communion with darkness.

  4. the act of sharing something or holding it in common, or the state of something so held: Fundamental to Scots law was the “communion of goods,” the joint ownership of property by spouses.

Origin of communion

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin commūniōn-, stem of commūniō “mutual participation, sharing,” from commūn(is) common + -iō -ion

Other words from communion

  • com·mun·ion·a·ble, adjective
  • com·mun·ion·al, adjective
  • self-com·mun·ion, noun

Words Nearby communion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use communion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for communion (1 of 2)

communion

/ (kəˈmjuːnjən) /


noun
  1. an exchange of thoughts, emotions, etc

  2. possession or sharing in common; participation

  1. (foll by with) strong emotional or spiritual feelings (for): communion with nature

  2. a religious group or denomination having a common body of beliefs, doctrines, and practices

  3. the spiritual union held by Christians to exist between individual Christians and Christ, their Church, or their fellow Christians

Origin of communion

1
C14: from Latin commūniō general participation, from commūnis common

Derived forms of communion

  • communional, adjective
  • communionally, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for Communion (2 of 2)

Communion

/ (kəˈmjuːnjən) /


nounChristianity
  1. the act of participating in the Eucharist

  2. the celebration of the Eucharist, esp the part of the service during which the consecrated elements are received

    • the consecrated elements of the Eucharist

    • (as modifier): Communion cup

  • Abbreviation: Holy Communion

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

Cultural definitions for Communion

Communion

A sacrament of Christianity. In a reenactment of the Last Supper, the words of Jesus — “This is my body” and “This is my blood” — are spoken over bread and wine (the elements of Communion), which are then shared by the worshipers. Communion, also known as the Eucharist, commemorates the death of Jesus. (See transubstantiation.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.