communal

[kuh-myoon-l, kom-yuh-nl] /kəˈmyun l, ˈkɒm yə nl/

adjective

used or shared in common by everyone in a group:

a communal jug of wine.

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.

pertaining to a commune or a community:

communal life.

engaged in by or involving two or more communities:

communal conflict.

Origin

1805-15; < French < Latin commūnālis, equivalent to commūn(e) commune³ + -ālis -al¹

Related forms

communally, adverb

intercommunal, adjective

noncommunal, adjective

noncommunally, adverb

uncommunal, adjective

Synonyms

2. public, common, collective.

Examples from the web for communal

Some college students are fortunate enough to have access to a communal kitchen space in their dorm.
So all property is communal and right in which the government has no power over property.
These bacteria aren't found in solitary bees, so they seem to be tied to communal living.
For large parties willing to try it, there's a communal feast of seven preparations of beef.
The tin served as a communal grave for all single buttons.
But in the cities this communal existence no longer holds.
The dining room features a large marble bar, long communal tables and more traditional two-tops against banquettes.
For my part, it would be useful to consider respect within the context of personal contact and personal and communal space.
Even the communal toilets remain nearly unscathed, the marble seats shiny from thousands of ancient buttocks.
But after five years, the town had provided no electricity and had turned down their application for a communal latrine.

British Dictionary definitions for communal

communal

/ˈkɒmjʊnəl/

adjective

belonging or relating to a community as a whole

relating to different groups within a society: communal strife

of or relating to a commune or a religious community

Derived Forms

communality (ˌkɒmjʊˈnælɪtɪ) noun
communally, adverb

Word Origin and History for communal

adj.

1811 in reference to communes; 1843 in reference to communities, from French communal (Old French comunal, 12c.), from Late Latin communalis, from communa (see commune (n.)).