commune

1 of 2

verb

com·​mune kə-ˈmyün 

communed; communing

transitive verb

obsolete : talk over, discuss

… have more to commune …

—William Shakespeare

intransitive verb

1

: to receive Communion

The people who had communed returned to their pews using the side aisles.

2

: to communicate intimately

commune with nature

… he stands communing with his soul on a bridge …

—Richard Alleva

commune

2 of 2

noun

com·​mune ˈkäm-ˌyün  kə-ˈmyün 

kä-ˈmyün

1

: the smallest administrative district of many countries especially in Europe

2

: commonalty sense 1a

3

: community: such as

a

: a medieval usually municipal corporation

b(1)

: mir

(2)

: an often rural community organized on a communal basis

Synonyms of commune

Verb

• relate
• bond
• click

Examples of commune in a Sentence

Verb

a psychic who communes with the dead

after a week in the wilderness, the scouts were really starting to commune with nature

Noun

He's living in a religious commune.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The team were meek in defeat, but after a weekend carousing and communing in central London, Newcastle fans arrived at Wembley with a collective hangover. —George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026

Jefferson Airplane communing in the Haight. —Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026

Noun

French voters returned to the polls Sunday in about 1,500 communes. —Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026

For two hours, Claire Jefferies wanted to get away from the war in Iran and the rising gas prices and just commune with nature. —ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to share, receive Communion, from Anglo-French communer, cummunier, from Late Latin communicare, from Latin — see communicate

Noun

French, alteration of Middle French comugne, from Medieval Latin communia, from Latin, neuter plural of communis

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

commune

1 of 2 verb

com·​mune kə-ˈmyün 

communed; communing

1

: to receive Communion

2

: to be in close communication with someone or something

commune with nature

commune

2 of 2 noun

com·​mune ˈkäm-ˌyün 

kə-ˈmyün

1

: the smallest administrative district of many countries especially in Europe

2

: a small group of people that live together and share property and duties