community

The word “community” means a group of people who live in the same area, or who share interests, background, or identity. In plain terms, a group connected by location, shared interests, or identity.

“Community” is pronounced kuh-MYOO-nih-tee (/k(ə)ˈmju.nə.ti/ in IPA).

Here is “community” used in a sentence: “The whole community turned out to help rebuild the school.”

The opposite of “community” — its antonyms — are anticommunity and noncommunity.

“Community” is a noun.

The word “community” comes from Latin. From Old French communité, from Latin communitas ("community, fellowship"), from communis ("common").

“Community” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Community” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of people who live in the same area, or who share interests, background, or identity.

A community is usually smaller and united by something shared — a place, an interest, a background, or an identity — and often feels personal. A society is larger and more organized, referring to all the people living under shared institutions and laws. Every society contains many overlapping communities.

Communities generally fall into a few kinds: geographic communities based on where people live, such as a town or neighborhood; interest communities built around a shared hobby or profession; and identity communities formed around culture, faith, or background. Online communities, connected by the internet rather than place, are increasingly common too.

Community gives people a sense of belonging, support, and shared purpose. It offers help in hard times, friendship, and a way to achieve together what individuals cannot alone. Strong communities improve safety, well-being, and trust, and they help pass on values, traditions, and knowledge from one generation to the next.

A village where neighbors know one another is a community, as is a group of gamers who meet online, a congregation at a place of worship, or a network of scientists who share research. Each is bound together by a common place, interest, or identity.