English Dictionary

Definition of “commune”

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^¹commune¹

Definitions

verb

(intr)

usually foll by

with

to talk or converse intimately
to experience strong emotion or spiritual feelings (for) ⇒ to commune with nature

noun

intimate conversation; exchange of thoughts; communion

Word Origin

C13: from Old French comuner to hold in common, from comuncommon

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry

= community, collective, cooperative, kibbutz,

^²commune² (kəˈmjuːn)

Definitions

verb

(intr) Christianity mainly US to partake of Communion

Word Origin

C16: back formation from communion

^³commune³ (ˈkɒmjuːn)

Definitions

noun

a group of families or individuals living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities
any small group of people having common interests or responsibilities
the smallest administrative unit in Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland, governed by a mayor and council
the government or inhabitants of a commune
a medieval town enjoying a large degree of autonomy

Word Origin

C18: from French, from Medieval Latin commūnia, from Latin: things held in common, from commūniscommon

Commune (ˈkɒmjuːn)

Definitions

noun

French history

See Paris Commune
a committee that governed Paris during the French Revolution and played a leading role in the Reign of Terror: suppressed 1794

Usage examples

She'd had a bit of experience with drunks at the artists ' commune where she had grown up with her father, Ray.
Peter Robinson, AFTERMATH (2001)
The move to slap a royalty on Osho's works has invited a lot of criticism in the Pune commune.
India Today (2000)
First, the reader is taken to Drop City, a chaotic, hippy commune in California.
Globe and Mail (2003)
On May 28, after five weeks of fighting, the commune was defeated.
Times, Sunday Times (2002)
The region did not enjoy the same legal status as the departement or the commune.
Wright, Vincent, The Government and Politics of France (1989)

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