communique
C1formal, journalistic, diplomatic
Definition
Meaning
An official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media by a government or an organization.
Any formal, brief public report or news item concerning an official meeting or diplomatic event.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies an official source and a degree of formality; often used in contexts of politics, diplomacy, or military operations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'communiqué' (with accent) is more common in formal UK usage, while 'communique' (without accent) is typical in US publications. The word is used in both varieties.
Connotations
Same core diplomatic/official connotation in both.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK media, but common in international news reporting in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VERB] + communique (issue/release/publish)[ADJ] + communique (official/joint/diplomatic)communique + [VERB] (states/announces/confirms)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to this word]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might refer to an official corporate press release after a board meeting.
Academic
Used in political science, international relations, or history to describe diplomatic documents.
Everyday
Very rare. Mostly encountered in news reports.
Technical
Standard term in diplomacy and journalism for an official statement.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The foreign office will communique the details later. (Rare/Non-standard)
- They are expected to communique their decision. (Rare/Non-standard)
American English
- The department will communique the findings. (Rare/Non-standard)
- The general did not communique his plans. (Rare/Non-standard)
adverb
British English
- They announced it communiquely. (Non-standard)
- The report was written communiquely. (Non-standard)
American English
- He spoke communiquely to the press. (Non-standard)
- The update was delivered communiquely. (Non-standard)
adjective
British English
- The communique document was leaked. (Rare/Non-standard)
- They held a communique briefing. (Rare/Non-standard)
American English
- A communique statement was issued. (Rare/Non-standard)
- The communique office handled the release. (Rare/Non-standard)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I heard an important news communique on the radio.
- The government issued a communique about the new policy.
- After the summit, a joint communique was released outlining the agreed points.
- The terse military communique offered few details about the operation's outcome, leaving journalists speculating.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: COMMUnique = COMMUnication that is UNIQUely official and formal.
Conceptual Metaphor
OFFICIAL STATEMENT IS A SEALED DOCUMENT (implies authority, finality, and a controlled release of information).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'коммюнике'. Remember it is a countable noun in English (a communique, the communiques).
- Do not confuse with 'communication', which is broader.
- The accent (é) is often dropped in English spelling.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'commuique', 'communiqué' (with accent is acceptable but less common in US English).
- Using it for informal announcements.
- Incorrect plural: 'communiques' (preferred over 'communiqués').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'communique' most appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is borrowed directly from French, where it is the past participle of 'communiquer' (to communicate). In English, it is fully naturalised.
In British English, the accented form is common and sometimes preferred in formal writing. In American English, the unaccented form 'communique' is standard. Both are understood.
No, it is exclusively a noun in standard English. Using it as a verb (e.g., 'they will communique the results') is considered a non-standard error.
A 'communique' is typically more formal and often comes from a diplomatic, governmental, or high-level official source. A 'press release' is a broader term used by any organization (companies, NGOs, etc.) for publicity.