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-

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

Verb

• bond
• click
• relate

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

Apparently some people communed with spirits to locate the first underground oil reserves. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 23 Apr. 2025

Talking to a counselor or therapist, or communing with others in a support group, can help. —Matthew Wosnitzer, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 2025

Noun

Climate and Geography of the Rhône Valley Running 150 miles from north to south along steep riverbanks, the Rhône Valley is home to just shy of 160,000 acres of grapevines in 148 communes. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025

The United Nations has said that between late January and March 2025, at least 262 people were killed and 66 others injured in the southern Port-au-Prince communes of Kenscoff and Carrefour. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025

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