WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
com•mu•ni•ca•tion /kəˌmyunɪˈkeɪʃən/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [uncountable]
- the act or process of communicating;
fact of being communicated. - the sending or exchanging of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs:We studied animal communication.
- the act or process of communicating;
- some thought or information sent or transmitted, esp. a document or message giving news, instructions, etc.:[countable]the latest communication from the front.
- communications,
- Telecommunications[plural* used with a plural verb] means of sending messages, orders, etc., including telephone, telegraph, radio, and television:With modern communications we can telephone anywhere in the world.
- [uncountable* used with a singular verb] the professions of journalism, broadcasting, etc.
- [uncountable* used with a singular verb] the study of effective communication:studying communications and communications skills.
com•mu•ni•ca•tion
(kə myo̅o̅′ni kā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
com•mu′ni•ca′tion•al, adj.
- the act or process of communicating;
fact of being communicated. - the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.
- something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted.
- a document or message imparting news, views, information, etc.
- passage, or an opportunity or means of passage, between places.
- communications:
- Telecommunicationsmeans of sending messages, orders, etc., including telephone, telegraph, radio, and television.
- routes and transportation for moving troops and supplies from a base to an area of operations.
- Animal Behavior[Biol.]
- activity by one organism that changes or has the potential to change the behavior of other organisms.
- transfer of information from one cell or molecule to another, as by chemical or electrical signals.
- Latin commūnicātiōn- (stem of commūnicātiō), equivalent. to commūnicāt(us) (see communicate) + -iōn- -ion
- Middle French
- Middle English communicacioun 1375–1425
'communications' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ATM
- blockade
- carry
- cellular radio
- Champlain
- Civil War
- Clarke
- communications satellite
- Comsat
- connect
- connection
- crosstalk
- CWU
- dynamic range
- family therapy
- GCHQ
- globalization
- GSM
- hotline
- ICT
- information warfare
- International Telecommunications Union
- jam
- listen in
- m-
- messaging
- minidish
- multiplex
- multiplexer
- negative
- Ofcom
- Olsztyn
- optical fibre
- Palencia
- passive
- radio
- radio frequency
- raise
- satellite
- Semey
- siege
- signal
- snitch line
- spim
- Syncom
- system
- telecommunications
- telephone
- traffic
- transponder