Meanings
communicate1
present singular third person communicates · participle present communicating · participle past communicated · past communicated · first person past singular communicated · archaic present second person singular communicatest · past second person singular communicated · archaic past second person singular communicatedst · present singular third person communicates · archaic present singular third person communicateth · past singular third person communicated · past plural communicated · past subjunctive communicated · participle present communicating · participle past communicated
- To impart.
- transitiveTo impart or transmit (an intangible quantity, substance); to give a share of.First known use 16th c.
to communicate motion by means of a crank
1 more example
Did ye not knovv that I ought to be ib my fathers houſe? that is, there vvhere God is vvorſhipped, vvhere he communicates his bleſſing and holy influences, there and there only vve are ſure to meet our deareſt Lord.
1660, Jeremy Taylor, “The Introduction”, in The Worthy Communicant or A Discourse of the Nature, Effects, and Blessings Consequent to the Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper […], London: […] R. Norton for John Martyn, James Allestry, and Thomas Dicas […], published 1661, →OCLC, page 2 - transitiveTo pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc.First known use 17th c.
The disease was mainly communicated via rats and other vermin.
- To share
- obsoletetransitiveTo share (in); to have in common, to partake of.First known use 16th–19th c.
We shall now consider those functions of intelligence which man communicates with the higher beasts.
1 more example
thousands that communicate our loss
1603 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, Seianus His Fall, London: […] G[eorge] Elld, for Thomas Thorpe, published 1605, →OCLC, (please specify the page) - intransitiveChristianityTo receive the bread and wine at a celebration of the Eucharist; to take part in Holy Communion.First known use 16th c.
The ‘better sort’ might communicate on a separate day; and in some parishes even the quality of the communion wine varied with the social quality of the recipients.
1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 1481 more example
It seems that now [the Devil] was driving Alison hard. She had been remiss of late—fewer souls sent to hell, less zeal in quenching the Spirit, and, above all, the crowning offense that her bairn had communicated in Christ's kirk.
1899 January – 1902 January, John Buchan, “The Watcher by the Threshold”, in The Watcher by the Threshold, and Other Tales, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1902, →OCLC, page 213 - transitiveChristianityTo administer the Holy Communion to (someone).First known use 16th c.
[W]hen ſhe [the church] can underſtand that ſuch an emendation is made, and the man is really reformed, ſhe can pronounce him pardon'd, or vvhich is all one, ſhe may communicate him.
1660, Jeremy Taylor, “Of Repentance Preparatory to the Blessed Sacrament. Sect[ion] V. What Significations of Repentance are to be Accepted by the Church in Admission of Penitents to the Communion.”, in The Worthy Communicant or A Discourse of the Nature, Effects, and Blessings Consequent to the Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper […], London: […] R. Norton for John Martyn, James Allestry, and Thomas Dicas […], published 1661, →OCLC, pages 475–476 - intransitiveTo express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means; to have intercourse, to exchange information.First known use 16th c.
Many deaf people communicate with sign language.
1 more example
I feel I hardly know him; I just wish he'd communicate with me a little more.
- intransitiveTo be connected by means of an opening or channel [with with ‘another room, vessel etc.’].First known use 16th c.
The living room communicates with the back garden by these French windows.
2 more examples
There was a door in the kitchen, communicating with the forge; […]
1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter II, in Great Expectations […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 29A scheme of internal staircases and upper stories enabled the rooms built upon this eastern slope to communicate with the Central Court on the crown of the hill.
1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete, page 7
communicate2
comparative more communicate · superlative most communicate
- obsoleteCommunicated, (made) commune, joined.
The property of the manhood is communicate with the other nature.
1561, T. Norton, translation of J. Calvin, Institution of Christian Religion (1634), volume ii. xiv., page 2261 more example
Art..gives a natural scope, and lasting experience, to Genius. Artists are men of a communicate genius.
1893, W. Allingham, Varieties in Prose, volume III., page 260
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
communicate · verb
Adapted borrowing of Latin commūnicāt- (past participial stem of commūnicō (“share, impart; make common”)) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from commūnis (“common”) + -icō. Compare French communiquer and its older (and now obsolete) English cognate from Middle French, communique.
Full word history & related roots →communicate · adjective
- Latincommūnicātus
- Middle Englishcommunicate
- Englishcommunicate
From Middle English communicate, an adapted borrowing of Latin commūnicātus (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), perfect passive participle of commūnicō (“to make commune”).
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic تَفَاهَمَ
- تَفَاهَمَ (tafāhama)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Bulgarian съобща́вам, предава́м
- съобща́вам (săobštávam)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- предава́м (predavám)to impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- пренасям (prenasjam)to pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc.
- причастя́вам се (pričastjávam se)to receive or take part in Holy Communion
- общувам (obštuvam)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Catalan combregar
- combregarto receive or take part in Holy Communion
Chinese Mandarin 溝通 /沟通
- 溝通 /沟通 (gōutōng)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Czech komunikovat
- komunikovatto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Danish kommunikere
- kommunikereto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
Dutch meedelen, mededelen
- meedelento impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- mededelento impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- communicerento impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- communicerento express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Esperanto komuniki, komuniki
- komunikito impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- komunikito impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- komunikiĝito express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Finnish kommunikoida, viestiä
- kommunikoidato impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- viestiäto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- tiedottaato impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- ilmoittaato impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- välittääto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- tartuttaato pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc.
- osallistua ehtoolliselleto receive or take part in Holy Communion
- kommunikoidato express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- viestiäto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- ilmaistato express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- keskustellato express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- olla yhteydessäto be connected with
French communiquer, communier
- communiquerto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- communierto receive or take part in Holy Communion
- se communiquerto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
German mitteilen, übermitteln
- mitteilento impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- übermittelnto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- kommunizierento impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- kundtunto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- weitergebento impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- weitertragento impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- überbringento impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- übermittelnto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- übertragento pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc.
- teilento share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- kommunizierento receive or take part in Holy Communion
- die Kommunion empfangento receive or take part in Holy Communion
Hungarian közöl, elmond
- közölto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- elmondto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- megmondto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- tudatto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- tudomására hozto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- megosztto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- közölto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- továbbítto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- átadto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- közvetítto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- átadto pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc.
- osztozikto share (in); to have in common, to partake of
Irish iompair, cuir in iúl
- iompairto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- cuir in iúlto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- Comaoineach a ghlacadhto receive or take part in Holy Communion
Italian comunicare, informare
- comunicareto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- informareto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- trasmettereto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- comunicareto share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- comunicareto receive or take part in Holy Communion
- comunicareto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- essere collegatoto be connected with
- comunicareto be connected with
Japanese 伝える, 通じる
- 伝える (tsutaeru)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- 通じる (tsūjiru)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- 連絡をとる (renraku o toru)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Korean 의사소통하다
- 의사소통하다 (uisasotonghada)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Malay berkomunikasi, berkomunikasi
- berkomunikasito impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- berkomunikasito express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Polish przekazywać, przekazać
- przekazywaćto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- przekazaćto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- porozumiewać sięto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
- porozumieć sięto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Portuguese comunicar, comunicar
- comunicarto impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- comunicarto impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- comunicarto share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- comungarto receive or take part in Holy Communion
- comunicarto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Romanian cumineca
- cuminecato receive or take part in Holy Communion
Russian сообща́ть, сообщи́ть
- сообща́ть (soobščátʹ)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- сообщи́ть (soobščítʹ)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- уведомля́ть (uvedomljátʹ)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- уве́домить (uvédomitʹ)to impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- передава́ть (peredavátʹ)to impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- переда́ть (peredátʹ)to impart or transmit (to another); to give a share of
- передава́ть (peredavátʹ)to share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- переда́ть (peredátʹ)to share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- причаща́ться (pričaščátʹsja)to receive or take part in Holy Communion
- причасти́ться (pričastítʹsja)to receive or take part in Holy Communion
- обща́ться (obščátʹsja)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Spanish comunicar, compartir
- comunicarto share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- compartirto share (in); to have in common, to partake of
- comulgarto receive or take part in Holy Communion
- comunicarto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Swedish kommunicera, kommunicera
- kommunicerato impart information or knowledge of; to make known, to tell
- kommunicerato express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Thai สื่อสาร
- สื่อสาร (sʉ̀ʉ-sǎan)to express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Vietnamese liên lạc
- liên lạcto express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means
Cite this entry
communicate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/communicate
“communicate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/communicate. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “communicate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/communicate.
Source: communicate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.