Etymology From Middle English commune, comune, from Old French comune, commune, from Medieval Latin commūnia, from Latin commūne (“community, state”), from commūnis (“common”). Doublet of comune. See also community, communion, common.
1
A small community, often rural, whose members share in the ownership of property, and in the division of labour; the members of such a community.
The town of Chu-chou in Hunan Province, carrying out the great directive of Chairman Mao that "educated youths must go to the villages," has put into practice factory-commune links, and under the leadership of cadres, has made a collective settlement of educated youths in commune and brigade farms, forest areas, and tea plantations.1975, Peter J. Seybolt, editor, The Rustication of Urban Youth in China, published 2015, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 148:
2
A local political division in many European countries as well as their former colonies (such as Chile and Vietnam).
Obsolete Communion; sympathetic conversation between friends.
For days of happy commune dead.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “(please specify |part=Prologue or Epilogue, or |canto=I to CXXIX)”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
5
Historical A self-governing city or league of citizens.
In 1117 the commune and archbishop had separate consuls at Milan.1997, David Nicholas, The Growth of the Medieval City: From Late Antiquity to the Early Fourteenth Century, →ISBN, page 161:
Etymology From Middle English communen, comunen, from Old French comuner (formed from comun (“common”)) and comunier (“to share”) (from Latin commūnico). Doublet of communicate.
1
To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel.
I would commune with you of such things / That want no ear but yours.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
2
Followed by with To communicate (with) spiritually; to be together (with); to contemplate or absorb.
He spent a week in the backcountry, communing with nature.
Namely, in these things, in prohibiting that none should commune alone, in making the People whole Communers, or in suffering them to Commune under both kinds […]1681, Gilbert Burnet, “[A Collection of Records, and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Second Part of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England.] Book I.”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The Second Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], →OCLC, page 207: