communism

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈkɑmjəˌnɪzəm/ UK /ˈkɒmjʊnɪzəm/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a system advocating communal ownership of the means of production

The pamphlet laid out a stark vision of communism.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a system advocating... collectivism socialism bolshevismmarxism

Opposites

capitalism individualismfascism

Word family

Derived forms communist communistic

Related forms commune common community communal

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

anarchist communism
a political theory combining the rejection of state authority with common ownership of productive resources

Noun + noun

Etymology

From French communisme, from commun ('common'), from Latin communis ('common, shared'), from com- ('together') + munus ('duty, office'). Popularized in the mid-19th century.

communis Latin munus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# communism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑmjəˌnɪzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒmjʊnɪzəm/

## Meanings
1. a system advocating communal ownership of the means of production

## Examples
- The pamphlet laid out a stark vision of communism.

## Synonyms
- collectivism
- socialism
- bolshevism
- marxism

## Antonyms
- capitalism
- individualism
- fascism

## Derived Forms
- communist
- communistic

## Related Forms
- commune
- common
- community
- communal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: communis
- Root: munus

## Etymology
From French communisme, from commun ('common'), from Latin communis ('common, shared'), from com- ('together') + munus ('duty, office'). Popularized in the mid-19th century.

## AI Etymology
Communism comes from French communisme, from commun ('common'), from Latin communis ('common, shared'), from com- ('together') + munus ('duty, office'). Popularized in the mid-19th century. The historical trail runs through communis in Latin and munus in Latin. Morphologically, communism is transparent: it draws on French communisme, from commun ('common'), from Latin communis ('common, shared'), from com- ('together') + munus ('duty, office'). Used as a noun, communism now means "a system advocating communal ownership of the means of production", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in derived forms such as communist and communistic and related forms such as commune, common, community, and communal. The result is a borrowed or transmitted form whose modern spelling carries a compact record of its route into English.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown