communicate

[ kuh-myoo-ni-keyt ]
See synonyms for: communicatecommunicatedcommunicating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),com·mu·ni·cat·ed, com·mu·ni·cat·ing.
  1. to impart knowledge of; make known: to communicate information;to communicate one's happiness.

  2. to give to another; impart; transmit: to communicate a disease.

  1. to administer the Eucharist to.

  2. Archaic. to share in or partake of.

verb (used without object),com·mu·ni·cat·ed, com·mu·ni·cat·ing.
  1. to give or interchange thoughts, feelings, information, or the like, by writing, speaking, etc.: They communicate with each other every day.

  2. to express thoughts, feelings, or information easily or effectively.

  1. to be joined or connected: The rooms communicated by means of a hallway.

  2. to partake of the Eucharist.

  3. Obsolete. to take part or participate.

Origin of communicate

1
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin commūnicātus “imparted,” past participle of commūnicāre “to impart, make common,” equivalent to commūn(is) common + -icāre, verb suffix

synonym study For communicate

1. Communicate, impart denote giving to a person or thing a part or share of something, now usually something immaterial, as knowledge, thoughts, hopes, qualities, or properties. Communicate, the more common word, implies often an indirect or gradual transmission: to communicate information by means of letters, telegrams, etc.; to communicate one's wishes to someone else. Impart usually implies directness of action: to impart information.

Other words for communicate

Opposites for communicate

Other words from communicate

  • non·com·mu·ni·cat·ing, adjective
  • o·ver·com·mu·ni·cate, verb, o·ver·com·mu·ni·cat·ed, o·ver·com·mu·ni·cat·ing.
  • pre·com·mu·ni·cate, verb, pre·com·mu·ni·cat·ed, pre·com·mu·ni·cat·ing.
  • un·com·mu·ni·cat·ing, adjective
  • well-com·mu·ni·cat·ed, adjective

Words Nearby communicate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use communicate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for communicate

communicate

/ (kəˈmjuːnɪˌkeɪt) /


verb
  1. to impart (knowledge) or exchange (thoughts, feelings, or ideas) by speech, writing, gestures, etc

  2. (tr usually foll by to) to allow (a feeling, emotion, etc) to be sensed (by), willingly or unwillingly; transmit (to): the dog communicated his fear to the other animals

  1. (intr) to have a sympathetic mutual understanding

  2. (intr usually foll by with) to make or have a connecting passage or route; connect

  3. (tr) to transmit (a disease); infect

  4. (intr) Christianity to receive or administer Communion

Origin of communicate

1
C16: from Latin commūnicāre to share, from commūnis common

Derived forms of communicate

  • communicator, noun
  • communicatory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012