Commune Meaning
/ˈkɒmjuːn/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA small community, often rural, whose members share in the ownership of property, and in the division of labour; the members of such a community.
nounA local political division in many European countries as well as their former colonies (such as Chile and Vietnam).
Sentence Examples
They live in a commune.
Tom lives in a commune with hippies.
Sami went to church to commune with fellow Christians.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
They decided to join a rural ____ to live a simpler, shared lifestyle.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They moved to a small rural ____ to live close to nature.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English commune, comune, from Old French comune, commune, from Medieval Latin commūnia, from Latin commūne (“community, state”), from commūnis (“common”). Doublet of comune. See also community, communion, common.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The town of Chu-chou in Hunan Province, carrying out the great directive of Chairman Mao that "educated youths must go to the villages," has put into practice factory-commune links, and under the leadership of cadres, has made a collective settlement of educated youths in commune and brigade farms, forest areas, and tea plantations."
— 1975, Peter J. Seybolt, editor, The Rustication of Urban Youth in China, published 2015, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 148:
"For days of happy commune dead."
— 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “(please specify |part=Prologue or Epilogue, or |canto=I to CXXIX)”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
"In 1117 the commune and archbishop had separate consuls at Milan."
— 1997, David Nicholas, The Growth of the Medieval City: From Late Antiquity to the Early Fourteenth Century, →ISBN, page 161:
"I would commune with you of such things / That want no ear but yours."
— c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
"Namely, in these things, in prohibiting that none should commune alone, in making the People whole Communers, or in suffering them to Commune under both kinds […]"
— 1681, Gilbert Burnet, “[A Collection of Records, and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Second Part of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England.] Book I.”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The Second Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], →OCLC, page 207:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
They decided to join a rural ____ to live a simpler, shared lifestyle.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They moved to a small rural ____ to live close to nature.