communion

American  

[kuh-myoon-yuhn] / kəˈmyun yən /

noun

1. Also called Holy Communion.  Christianity. Often Communion

   1. the celebration of the Eucharist .

   2. the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.

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

   4. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. association; fellowship.

   Light has no communion with darkness.

6. 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.

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Communion ¹ British  

/ kəˈmjuːnjən /

noun

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

3. 1. the consecrated elements of the Eucharist

   2. ( as modifier )

      Communion cup

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communion ² British  

/ kəˈmjuːnjən /

noun

1. an exchange of thoughts, emotions, etc

2. possession or sharing in common; participation

3. (foll by with) strong emotional or spiritual feelings (for)

   communion with nature

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

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

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Communion Cultural  

1. 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.)

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Other Word Forms

• communionable adjective
• communional adjective
• communionally adverb
• self-communion noun

Etymology

Origin of communion

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

Explanation

A communion is an intimate connection. Many people enjoy hiking in the woods in order to have a sort of communion with nature. When you connect in a meaningful way with something, or intimately share your feelings with someone, you experience a communion. The word implies a deep connection, particularly a spiritual one. A Communion, with a capital C and also called Holy Communion, is a Christian religious service involving consecrated bread and wine. The Latin root of communion is communionem, meaning "fellowship, mutual participation, or sharing."

Example Sentences

In cosmic communion, practitioners of Black music from many eras appear to Sammie, the joint’s roof combusting in his mind.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

The Japanese priest and his parishioners gathered before dawn, hoping that climate change had not robbed them of the chance to experience an increasingly rare communion with the sacred.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

Justin Welby devoted huge amounts of time and energy to preserving the unity of the worldwide Anglican communion, but that battle may be over before his successor even takes office.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2025

Occasionally, the author does seem to achieve a fleeting sense of communion with the birds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Perhaps when I make my communion I will understand, I thought.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya

Related Words

• intimacy
• rapport
• togetherness