communality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low)Formal, Academic, Sociological
Quick answer
What does “communality” mean?
A state or feeling of sharing, belonging, and fellowship within a community.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state or feeling of sharing, belonging, and fellowship within a community.
A quality of a group where members share common attributes, interests, or social relations; the sense of collective identity and mutual responsibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. The concept is equally abstract in both varieties.
Connotations
In academic British English, may be slightly more associated with sociological/anthropological studies of small-scale societies. In American English, can also appear in business/management contexts discussing corporate culture.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday speech in both regions. Slightly higher relative frequency in academic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “communality” in a Sentence
The communality of [GROUP]A sense of communality among [PEOPLE]To foster communality within [ORGANIZATION]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “communality” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form. Periphrastic: 'to build communality']
American English
- [No standard verb form. Periphrastic: 'to foster communality']
adverb
British English
- [The related adverb is 'communally'. Example: The land was communally owned.]
American English
- [The related adverb is 'communally'. Example: They lived communally.]
adjective
British English
- [The related adjective is 'communal'. Example: The communal spirit was strong.]
American English
- [The related adjective is 'communal'. Example: They had a communal garden.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in discussions of corporate culture, team-building, and organisational behaviour to describe a unified workforce.
Academic
Common in sociology, anthropology, and political theory to describe the social bonds in groups or societies.
Everyday
Rarely used in casual conversation; might be replaced by 'community spirit' or 'togetherness'.
Technical
In psychology, can refer to shared variance in factor analysis; in sociology, a key concept contrasting with 'society' (Tönnies' Gemeinschaft).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “communality”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “communality”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “communality”
- Confusing with 'commonality' (which refers to shared features, not a feeling).
- Using it to mean a physical community rather than an abstract quality.
- Misspelling as 'comm**o**nality'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Community' refers to the group of people itself. 'Communality' refers to the abstract quality or feeling of shared identity and fellowship within that group.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word used primarily in academic, sociological, or business contexts. In everyday speech, people use phrases like 'community spirit' or 'sense of community'.
No. 'Commonality' means a shared feature or characteristic (e.g., 'a commonality of interest'). 'Communality' refers to the social bond and feeling of collective belonging.
The direct adjective is 'communal' (e.g., communal living). There is no adjective '*communality'.
A state or feeling of sharing, belonging, and fellowship within a community.
Communality is usually formal, academic, sociological in register.
Communality: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒm.jʊˈnæl.ə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑː.mjʊˈnæl.ə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly use this word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COMMUNity' + 'ALITY' (like 'quality') = the quality of being a true community.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A FABRIC (e.g., 'the fabric of communality was woven over generations').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest synonym for 'communality' in a sociological context?