community

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noun, often attributive com·mu·ni·ty \ kə-ˈmyü-nə-tē \

Definition of community

plural communities

1 :a unified body of individuals: such as

a :state, commonwealth

b :the people with common interests living in a particular area; broadly :the area itself

the problems of a large community

c :an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (such as species) in a common location

d :a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society

a community of retired persons

a monastic community

e :a group linked by a common policy

f :a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests

the international community

g :a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society

the academic community

the scientific community

2 :society at large

the interests of the community

3 a :joint ownership or participation

community of goods

b :common character :likeness

community of interests

c :social activity :fellowship

d :a social state or condition

The school encourages a sense of community in its students.

See community defined for English-language learners

See community defined for kids

Examples of community in a Sentence

a respectable member of the community
The festival was a great way for the local community to get together.
Many communities are facing budget problems.
People in the community wanted better police protection.

Recent Examples of community from the Web

Scott said the LMPD investigation is crucial to community safety.

— thomas novelly, The Courier-Journal, "LMPD investigates officers' actions at Black Lives Matter rally downtown," 30 Aug. 2017
The weekly family-friendly community festival boasts a lineup of local food trucks and music, plus kids' activities including bounce houses, at Tamiami Park, 11201 SW 24th St., Miami.

— jennifer jhon, South Florida Parenting, "What to do with the kids this weekend: Free zoo, bowling and crafts events," 30 Aug. 2017
The subsequent damage killed thousands of animals, plunged local ecosystems into crisis, and stripped many people living in coastal communities of their livelihoods.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "How was the Deepwater Horizon BP Settlement money spent?," 30 Aug. 2017
There is nothing more right than for our community here and beyond to stand up, to show up, to speak up, to close arms around our children, who are American in every single way but one.

— alex harris and kyra gurney, miamiherald, "Miami leaders line up to support ‘Dreamers’ and ask Trump to do the same," 30 Aug. 2017
The council has engaged with schools to start clubs and with community and business leaders to support the concept.

— chris mayhew, Cincinnati.com, "NKY schools get behind voluntary drug test clubs," 30 Aug. 2017
Patrol officers cannot articulate what community policing is.

— jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017
His tenure in Austin was marked by efforts to strengthen ties with community groups.

— michael graczyk, The Seattle Times, "Houston police chief blunt and emotional during Harvey," 29 Aug. 2017
The long-term decay of the nation’s infrastructure is a direct result of policy decisions that politicians and communities make time and again.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "Why the Gulf Coast Is Uniquely Vulnerable to Disasters," 29 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'community.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of community

Middle English comunete, from Anglo-French communité, from Latin communitat-, communitas, from communis — see ¹common

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

community Synonyms

Synonyms

neighborhood

Antonyms

difference, disagreement, discrepancy, disparateness, disparity, dissimilarity, dissimilitude, distinctiveness, distinctness, unlikeness

Related Words

city, commune, hamlet, town, village; denizens, dwellers, inhabitants, residents; citizenry, culture, people, populace, public, society

Near Antonyms

loner; individualist

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

COMMUNITY Defined for English Language Learners

community

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noun

Definition of community for English Language Learners

: a group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood)
: a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.
: a group of nations

COMMUNITY Defined for Kids

community

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noun com·mu·ni·ty \ kə-ˈmyü-nə-tē \

Definition of community for Students

plural communities

1 :the people living in a certain place (as a village or city) :the area itself

2 :a natural group (as of kinds of plants and animals) living together and depending on one another for various necessities of life (as food or shelter)

3 :a group of people with common interests

the business community

a community of artists

4 :a feeling of caring about others in a group

The school fosters a sense of community.

Medical Dictionary

community

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noun com·mu·ni·ty \ kə-ˈmyü-nət-ē \

medical Definition of community

plural communities

:a unified body of individuals: as

a :the people with common interests living in a particular area; broadly :the area itself

the problems of a large community

b :an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location

c :a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society

a community of retired persons

Law Dictionary

community

noun com·mu·ni·ty

legal Definition of community

plural communities

1 :the people who live in a particular place or region and usually are linked by some common interests

2 a :the mass of community property owned by a husband and wife

a spouse may not…lease to a third person his undivided interest in the community or in particular things of the community
—Louisiana Civil Code

b :the entity created upon the marriage of a husband and wife for the purposes of ownership of property in community property states — see also community property at property, regime