Definition of communion
1 : an act or instance of sharing
2a capitalized : a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Christ's death or as symbols for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and communicant or as the body and blood of Christb : the act of receiving Communionc capitalized : the part of a Communion service in which the sacrament is received
3 : intimate fellowship or rapport : communication sat alone on the mountain, in communion with the wilderness
4 : a body of Christians having a common faith and discipline the Anglican communion
From the M-W Editors
Examples of communion in a Sentence
She went to the front of the church for Communion.
gradually established a feeling of communion with her fellow physicians
Recent Examples of communion from the Web
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The Eastern Orthodox Church is a communion of autonomous churches, each typically governed by a Holy Synod.
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Less clear was what their communions would look like in the future.
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Jump-starting from zero to light speed, a human crew would be flattened against the bulkhead like so many communion wafers.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'communion'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of communion
Middle English, from Latin communion-, communio mutual participation, from communis —see 1common
First Known Use: 14th century
COMMUNION Defined for English Language Learners
communion
playDefinition of communion for English Language Learners
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Communion : a Christian ceremony in which bread is eaten and wine is drunk as a way of showing devotion to Jesus Christ
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: a close relationship with someone or something
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: a group of Christians who have the same beliefs
COMMUNION Defined for Kids
communion
playDefinition of communion for Students
1 : a close relationship in communion with nature
2 cap : a Christian ceremony commemorating with bread and wine the last supper of Jesus Christ
3 : a body of Christians having similar beliefs
Learn More about communion
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for communion Spanish Central: Translation of communion Nglish: Translation of communion for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of communion for Arabic speakers
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