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

broadly : the area itself

the problems of a large community

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

d

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

the international community

e

: a group linked by a common policy

f

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

g

: state, commonwealth

2

a

: a social state or condition

The school encourages a sense of community in its students.

b

: joint ownership or participation

community of goods

c

: common character : likeness

community of interests

d

: social activity : fellowship

3

: society at large

the interests of the community

Synonyms

• neighborhood

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

World & Nation Rebels seize Damascus; Assad reported to have fled Syria for Moscow Dec. 8, 2024 Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, often pitted against each other by Assad’s state and years of war. —Sarah El Deeb and Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024

This giving system would research what the median household income was for your community and only spend up to that amount. —Shane Enete, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

There was no room in its mission for the larger story of the experience of the Black laborers or for the nuanced images of life in Black communities that make up most of Joseph’s catalogue. —April White, JSTOR Daily, 16 Dec. 2024

Earlier this year, Ukrainian authorities filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor’s Office alleging atrocities perpetrated by Russia against religious communities in Crimea. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024

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

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