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communion

[ kuh-myoon-yuhn ]
/ kəˈmyun yən /
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noun
(often initial capital letter)Also called Holy Communion. Ecclesiastical.
  1. the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.
  2. the elements of the Eucharist.
  3. the celebration of the Eucharist.
  4. the antiphon sung at a Eucharistic service.
a group of persons having a common religious faith; a religious denomination: Anglican communion.
association; fellowship.
interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.
the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
the state of things so held.
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Origin of communion

1350–1400; Middle English (<Anglo-French ) <Latin commūniōn- (stem of commūniō) a sharing, equivalent to commūn(is) common + -iōn--ion

OTHER WORDS FROM communion

com·mun·ion·a·ble, adjectivecom·mun·ion·al, adjectiveself-com·mun·ion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use communion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for communion (1 of 2)

communion
/ (kəˈmjuːnjən) /

noun
an exchange of thoughts, emotions, etc
possession or sharing in common; participation
(foll by with) strong emotional or spiritual feelings (for)communion with nature
a religious group or denomination having a common body of beliefs, doctrines, and practices
the spiritual union held by Christians to exist between individual Christians and Christ, their Church, or their fellow Christians

Derived forms of communion

communional, adjectivecommunionally, adverb

Word Origin for communion

C14: from Latin commūniō general participation, from commūnis common

British Dictionary definitions for communion (2 of 2)

Communion
/ (kəˈmjuːnjən) /

noun Christianity
the act of participating in the Eucharist
the celebration of the Eucharist, esp the part of the service during which the consecrated elements are received
  1. the consecrated elements of the Eucharist
  2. (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.
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