communist

American  

[kom-yuh-nist] / ˈkɒm yə nɪst /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) a member of the Communist Party or movement.

2. an advocate of communism.

3. a person who is regarded as supporting politically leftist or subversive causes.

4. (usually initial capital letter) a Communard.

---

adjective

1. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Communist Party or to Communism.

2. pertaining to communists or communism.

communist British  

/ ˈkɒmjʊnɪst /

noun

1. a supporter of any form of communism

2. (often capital) a supporter of Communism or a Communist movement or state

3. (often capital) a member of a Communist party

4. (often capital) any person holding left-wing views, esp when considered subversive

5. a person who practises communal living; communalist

6. another name for Communard

---

adjective

1. of, characterized by, favouring, or relating to communism; communistic

communist Cultural  

1. A supporter of communism.

---

Other Word Forms

• anticommunist noun
• anticommunistic adjective
• anticommunistical adjective
• anticommunistically adverb
• communistic adjective
• communistical adjective
• communistically adverb
• procommunist adjective

Etymology

Origin of communist

From the French word communiste, dating back to 1835–45. See common, -ist

Explanation

Communism is a political doctrine that is an extreme form of Socialism, and anyone belonging to this particular political party is called a communist. A handful of countries call themselves communist, including China, Cuba, and North Korea — though many communists would disagree. We can find the roots of the word communist in the Latin communis, meaning "common" or "shared." These meanings certainly apply to the ideal version of Communism, which means that everyone is equal, and no one has more than anyone else. It was first used in English as both a noun and an adjective in 1841, taken from the French communiste. In the mid-20th Century, division between the U.S. and its allies and those that were Communist formed what became the “Cold War.”

Example Sentences

From early on, Orbán proved skilled at gauging the country’s political temperature as it emerged from communist rule.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Compared to China, however, the communist party's central committee plays a stronger role in checking the power of its secretary general, Carl Thayer, Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales, told the BBC.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

A writer, he once worked on cultural issues for Cuba’s communist government, before moving abroad.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

He smuggled himself into Hong Kong as a penniless 12-year-old escaping famine in communist China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

"McCarthyism" became a catchphrase for the hunt for communist subversives, a frenzy that would engulf the United States for the rest of the 1950s.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau