WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
com•mu•nal•ism
(kə myo̅o̅n′l iz′əm, kom′yə nl-),USA pronunciation n.
com•mu′nal•ist, n.
com•mu′nal•is′tic, adj.
- Governmenta theory or system of government according to which each commune is virtually an independent state and the nation is merely a federation of such states.
- Governmentthe principles or practices of communal ownership.
- Governmentstrong allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole.
- communal + -ism 1870–75
com•mu′nal•is′tic, adj.
'communalist' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):