Communication

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kʌˌmjunɪˈkeɪʃən/
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Origin

Old French communicacion, from Latin commūnicātiōnem, accusative singular of commūnicātiō ("imparting, communicating"), from commūnicō ("I share, I impart").

Noun

1. The act or fact of communicating anything; transmission.communication of smallpoxcommunication of a secret
2. (uncountable) The concept or state of exchanging data or information between entities.Some say that communication is a necessary prerequisite for sentience; others say that it is a result thereof.The node had established communication with the network, but had as yet sent no data.
3. A message; the essential data transferred in an act of communication.Surveillance was accomplished by means of intercepting the spies' communications.
4. The body of all data transferred to one or both parties during an act of communication.The subpoena required that the company document their communication with the plaintiff.
5. An instance of information transfer; a conversation or discourse.The professors' communications consisted of lively discussions via email.
• ShakespeareArgument ... and friendly communication.
6. A passageway or opening between two locations; connection.A round archway at the far end of the hallway provided communication to the main chamber.
• ArbuthnotThe Euxine Sea is conveniently situated for trade, by the communication it has both with Asia and Europe.
7. (anatomy) A connection between two tissues, organs, or cavities.
• 1855, William Stokes, The Diseases of the Heart and the Aorta Page 617...and here a free communication had been established between the aorta and the vena cava.
8. (obsolete) association; company
• Bible, 1 Corinthians xv. 33Evil communications corrupt manners.
9. Participation in the Lord's supper.
10. (rhetoric) A trope by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says "we" instead of "I" or "you".

Related terms

• communications (the science and technology of communicating, especially by electronic means)
• communicate
• communicator
• communion

Derived terms