First Known Use: 1800
Dictionary
communal
communal
adjective com·mu·nal \kə-ˈmyü-nəl, ˈkäm-yə-nəl\
: shared or used by members of a group or community
: relating to or involving members of a commune (sense 1)
: relating to a situation in which you are doing something with other people
Full Definition of COMMUNAL
1
: of or relating to one or more communes
2
: of or relating to a community
3
a : characterized by collective ownership and use of property b : participated in, shared, or used in common by members of a group or community
4
: of, relating to, or based on racial or cultural groups
— com·mu·nal·ize \kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌlīz, ˈkäm-yə-\ transitive verb
— com·mu·nal·ly adverb
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Examples of COMMUNAL
- The tribe lived in communal huts.
- the communal experience of riding on the train
Origin of COMMUNAL
French, from Late Latin communalis, from Latin communis
Related to COMMUNAL
- Synonyms
- collaborative, combined, common, collective, concerted, conjoint, conjunct, cooperative, joint, multiple, mutual, pooled, public, shared, united
- Antonyms
- exclusive, individual, one-man, one-sided, one-way, single, sole, solitary, unilateral
Other Sociology Terms
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