communal

adjective

com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyü-nᵊl How to pronounce communal (audio)
ˈkäm-yə-nᵊl
Synonyms of communalnext
1
: of or relating to one or more communes
a communal organization
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
a communal kitchen
gathered for a communal meal
4
: of, relating to, or based on racial or cultural groups
communal violence
communalize transitive verb
communally adverb

Examples of communal in a Sentence

The tribe lived in communal huts. the communal experience of riding on the train
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Emmy Lou’s will offer a seven-seat bar, a large corner banquet with a view of the entire space and a communal table inside. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Dec. 2025 And because the largest stones would have required a serious team effort, this kind of coordinated work and purposeful engineering was most likely carried out with strong communal or spiritual guidance. New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2025 Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Comscore, said that the teen video gamer audience is sometimes underestimated and this weekend proves once again that given the right film, will come out to the movie theater for that communal experience with fellow fans. Lindsey Bahr, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025 Despite serious differences and political disagreements, the people of Iran have preserved long-standing traditions of coexistence, mutual respect, and communal life. Narges Mohammadi, Time, 5 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for communal

Word History

Etymology

French, from Late Latin communalis, from Latin communis

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of communal was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Communal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communal. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

communal

adjective
com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyün-ᵊl How to pronounce communal (audio)
ˈkäm-yən-ᵊl
1
: of or relating to a commune or community
2
: shared or used in common by members of a group or community

More from Merriam-Webster on communal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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