kəˈmyün ə l also ˈkämyən- sometimes especially in sense 1 (ˈ)kä|myün- adjective
Etymology: French, from Old French comunal, from Late Latin communalis, from Latin communis of the community, common + -alis -al — more at common
1.
a. : of or relating to a commune or a society characterized by communes
communal electors
communal organization
b. : belonging to or produced by the social environment of a primitive commune : characteristic of a simple social life
communal poetry is typified by the ballad
2. : owned in common : participated in, shared, or used by a whole community : marked by sharing in common by members of a group
a communal settlement in which all wages, earnings and food were pooled — Time
dipping each his bread into a communal dish of stew — Paul Roche
3. : of or relating to rival communities, especially the communities of India
communal division
the communal problem
: involving two or more communities competing (as for political advantage and patronage)
communal strife
• com·mu·nal·ly - ə lē, - ə li adverb