communal

1 of 2

adjective

com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyü-nᵊl 

ˈkäm-yə-nᵊl

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

kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌlīz 

ˈkäm-yə-

transitive verb

communally adverb

communalize

2 of 2

transitive verb

com·​mu·​nal·​ize kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌlīz 

ˈkäm-yə-nə-

-ed/-ing/-s

: to make communal

specifically : to subject to the rights, methods, organization, or ownership of a community

Synonyms of communal

Adjective

• collective
• collaborative
• joint
• combined
• mutual

Examples of communal in a Sentence

Adjective

The tribe lived in communal huts.

the communal experience of riding on the train

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As America turns 250, the semiquincentennial feels like a dud — a far cry from 1976’s bicentennial blowout, when pop culture and communal celebrations united a weary nation. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Here, guests hand in their devices on arrival, wear shared clothing to strip back status and move through entirely tech-free communal spaces. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Whole hogs, widely available and suitable for slow, open-fire cooking that fed large communal gatherings, became central to the area’s emerging cuisine. — Amethyst Ganaway, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

Róza El-Hassan, Hew Locke, Oscar Murillo, Selma Selman, and Iza Tarasewicz are five of the roughly thirty artists who will present works exploring themes of marginalization and communal life at locations in and beyond the city’s center. — News Desk, Artforum, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French, from Late Latin communalis, from Latin communis

First Known Use

Adjective

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing communal

• inter-communal

Rhymes for communal

• jejunal
• lagoonal
• monsoonal
• tribunal
• intercommunal

Kids Definition

communal

adjective

com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyün-ᵊl 

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