communal

adjective

com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyü-nᵊl How to pronounce communal (audio)
ˈkäm-yə-nᵊl
1
: of or relating to one or more communes
a communal organization
2
: of or relating to a community
3
a
: characterized by collective ownership and use of property
b
: participated in, shared, or used in common by members of a group or community
a communal kitchen
gathered for a communal meal
4
: of, relating to, or based on racial or cultural groups
communal violence
communalize transitive verb
communally adverb

Examples of communal in a Sentence

The tribe lived in communal huts. the communal experience of riding on the train
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This belief, that storytelling is a communal act, inspired me. Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025 The idea was developed based on communal or cooperative communities in Israel and was implemented to help Black sharecroppers in Southwest Georgia who were being forced off their land by white farmers because of their participation in the Civil Rights Movement. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025 Share a selection of mezze for a communal dining experience.​ Café Ansari Blending Georgian and international cuisine, Café Ansari offers a modern dining space with minimalist design. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025 Among many Indigenous tribes in the Americas, grief is a communal ceremony—marked by crying, singing, storytelling, and symbols of transformation like cutting hair. Devi Brown, Time, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for communal

Word History

Etymology

French, from Late Latin communalis, from Latin communis

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of communal was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Communal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communal. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

communal

adjective
com·​mu·​nal kə-ˈmyün-ᵊl How to pronounce communal (audio)
ˈkäm-yən-ᵊl
1
: of or relating to a commune or community
2
: shared or used in common by members of a group or community

More from Merriam-Webster on communal

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