community

noun (plural communities)

• 1a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common:Montreal’s Italian community the gay community in London the scientific community
• a group of people living together and practising common ownership:a community of nuns
• a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants:a rural community local communities
• a body of nations or states unified by common interests: [in names]:the European Community
• (the community) the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities; society:preparing prisoners for life back in the community
• [as modifier] denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area:community health services

• 2 [mass noun] the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common:the sense of community that organized religion can provide
• [in singular] a similarity or identity:the law presupposes a community of interest between an employer and employees
• joint ownership or liability:the community of goods

• 3 Ecology a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together in natural conditions or occupying a specified habitat:communities of insectivorous birds