community

noun

com·​mu·​ni·​ty kə-ˈmyü-nə-tē 

plural communities

often attributive

1

: a unified body of individuals: such as

a

: the people with common interests living in a particular area

… there was to be a school party on Saturday night for the entire community.

—Richard Peck

broadly : the area itself

… Linfield, a farming community about seven miles away.

—James McBride

b

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

a community of retired persons

a monastic community

c

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

the academic community

the scientific community

That kind of success has a ripple effect in the creative community.

—Vivian Song

d

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

the international community

ethnic communities

The series won acclaim … for its affectionate portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community …

—Lisa Respers France

e

: a group linked by a common policy

f

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

a diverse community of microorganisms

… an impressive plant community of marshes, cattail stands, bulrush beds and mesquite bosques …

—Jake Frederico

g

: a political unit (such as a nation or state) : commonwealth

2

a

: a state or feeling of caring about and wanting to interact with others in a group

The school encourages a sense of community in its students.

This joy and community is what brings people back year after year to our city.

—Meredith Perkins

b

: joint ownership or participation

community of goods

c

: common character : likeness

community of ideas

d

: social activity : fellowship

3

: society at large

the interests of the community

Film is about the community that gathers around that screen in times of great crisis and in moments of immense joy.

—Jessica Gelt

Synonyms of community

• town
• neighborhood
• city
• village
• commune

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 on the Web

While the consequences of skipping routine medical care may not always be immediate, Muthyala said providers are worried about the downstream impact all of this will have on the health of the community. —Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026

Boston community leaders proposed a new plan to tackle the open-air drug market at and around Mass and Cass that focuses on getting addicts off the streets, out of jail and into recovery in order to avoid last summer’s crowding and chaos. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 19 Feb. 2026

So too, have many other parts of Highland Park that were once part of the fabric of the community. —Andrés Soto, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026

Last year, Resounding Joy brought the healing power of music to nearly 10,000 community members of all ages, abilities and incomes across San Diego County in places ranging from hospital rooms to community parks. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing community

• bedroom community
• business community
• community-acquired
• community antenna television
• community-associated
• community center
• community chest
• community college
• community immunity
• community property
• community service
• community spread
• community-supported agriculture
• community theater
• community transmission
• gated community
• inter-community
• speech community

Rhymes for community

• disunity
• immunity
• impunity
• autoimmunity
• importunity
• opportunity
• munity
• unity

Kids Definition

community

noun

com·​mu·​ni·​ty kə-ˈmyü-nət-ē 

plural communities

1

a

: the people living in an area

also : the area itself

b

: a group of living things that belong to one or more species, interact ecologically, and are located in one place (as a bog or pond)

c

: a group of people with common interests especially when living together

a community of monks

2

a

: shared ownership or participation

community of goods

b

: similarity sense 1, likeness

a community of ideas

c

: shared activity : fellowship

Medical Definition

community

noun

com·​mu·​ni·​ty kə-ˈmyü-nət-ē 

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

Legal Definition

community

noun

com·​mu·​ni·​ty

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