noun
commune
KAH-myoon/ˈkɑːmjuːn/
An organized local community with shared responsibilities.
Members of the commune share meals, chores, and household expenses.
Etymology
Communis means “common” or “shared”; its noun use expressed “that which is common.” The name for an organized civic community was later applied to intentional communities built around shared living.
In context
the top floor was a commune of gay guys from Ohio and it seemed like every weekend a new group would arrive and sometimes there was as many as six to eight guys sleeping in a two-bedroom flat
More examples
- The commune owns the farmland, but each family has its own home.
- Some communes require members to pool their earnings.
- The French commune elects a mayor to manage local affairs.
Forms
commune · communes
communal adjective — Shared by members of a community.
Similar words
- collective
- Emphasizes joint ownership or work, not necessarily shared living.
- municipality
- Names a local government unit, without implying shared property.