Com*mu"ni*ty (?), n.; pl. Communities (#). [L. communitas: cf. OF. communit'e. Cf. Commonalty, and see Common.]

1.

Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods.

The original community of all things. Locke.

An unreserved community of thought and feeling. W. Irwing.

2.

A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests.

Creatures that in communities exist. Wordsworth.

3.

Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general.

Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community. Hallam.

⇒ In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community.

4.

Common character; likeness.

[R.]

The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth. H. Spencer.

5.

Commonness; frequency.

[Obs.]

Eyes . . . sick and blunted with community. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.