[com.mu.ni.ty] n, pl -ties often attrib [ME comunete, fr. MF comunete, fr. L communitat-, communitas, fr. communis] (14c) 1: a unified body of individuals: as a: state, commonwealth b: the people with common interests living in a particular area; broadly: the area itself "the problems of a large ~" c: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location d: a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society "a ~ of retired persons" e: a group linked by a common policy f: a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests "the international ~" g: a body of persons of common and esp. professional interests scattered through a larger society "the academic ~"
2: society at large 3 a: joint ownership or participation "~ of goods" b: common character: likeness "~ of interests" c: social activity: fellowship d: a social state or condition