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

From Jesus to Wordsworth, people wandered into the wilderness in hopes of communing with a greater power, to be forced to confront their truest selves. —Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026

Throughout history, meals have been communal events fostering fellowship — and not about a group of people eating together without being able to commune. —Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026

Noun

Now, the documentary Christiania, from director Karl Friis Forchhammer and producer Rikke Tambo, explores this commune in the Christianshavn neighborhood of the Danish capital that is shaped by anarchist hippie culture and governed by consensus democracy. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026

That prophecy materialized little more than a year later, as the street-preaching Frisbee launched the House of Miracles commune in Costa Mesa, alongside struggling preacher Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel. —Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 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