communion

The word “communion” means a deep, often spiritual, sense of connection or shared understanding between people. In plain terms, a close, shared connection between people, or specifically the Christian sacrament of bread and wine.

“Communion” is pronounced kuh-MYOON-yuhn (/kəˈmjuːnjən/ in IPA).

Here is “communion” used in a sentence: “The two old friends sat in silent communion, needing no words.”

“Communion” is a noun.

The word “communion” comes from Latin. From Ecclesiastical Latin communio ("communion, fellowship"), from communis ("common, shared").

“Communion” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Communion” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a deep, often spiritual, sense of connection or shared understanding between people.

Lowercase communion describes a deep, often spiritual sense of connection or shared understanding between people, such as communion with nature. Capitalized Communion refers specifically to the Christian ritual of sharing consecrated bread and wine, or to the bread and wine themselves.

Communion and the Eucharist both refer to the Christian ritual of sharing consecrated bread and wine, and the two terms are largely used interchangeably across denominations. Eucharist is more common in liturgical traditions, while Communion is the broader, more general term.

Yes, communion is regularly used in a non-religious sense to describe a feeling of deep connection or shared understanding, such as 'a quiet communion with nature' or 'communion between old friends.' This meaning does not require any reference to the Christian ritual.