communal

UK: /ˈkɒmjʊn^əl/ US: /kəˈmjunəl/ ,(kə myo̅o̅n′l, kom′yə nl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•mu•nal /kəˈmyunəl/   adj. 

1. used or shared in common:
   a communal stove.
2. of, by, or belonging to the people of a community:
   communal land.
3. relating to a commune or a community:
   communal life.

com•mu•nal•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•mu•nal  (kə myo̅o̅n′l, kom′yə nl), adj. 

1. used or shared in common by everyone in a group:
   a communal jug of wine.
2. of, by, or belonging to the people of a community;
   shared or participated in by the public:
   communal land; Building the playground was a communal project.
3. pertaining to a commune or a community:
   communal life.
4. engaged in by or involving two or more communities:
   communal conflict.

• Latin commūnālis, equivalent. to commūn(e) commune³ + -ālis -al¹
• French
• 1805–15

com•mu′nal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 2. public, common, collective.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

communal / ˈkɒmjʊn^əl/ adjective

1. belonging or relating to a community as a whole
2. of or relating to a commune or a religious community

communality / ˌkɒmjʊˈnælɪtɪ/ noun

ˈcommunally adverb