communion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: com=mun=ion

CIDE DICTIONARY

communion, n. [L. communio: cf. F. communion. See Common.].

•  The act of sharing; community; participation.  Blackstone.  [1913 Webster]
•  Intercourse between two or more persons; esp., intimate association and intercourse implying sympathy and confidence; interchange of thoughts, purposes, etc.; agreement; fellowship; as, the communion of saints.  [1913 Webster]

  "We are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others."  [1913 Webster]

  "What communion hath light with darkness?"  [1913 Webster]

  "Bare communion with a good church can never alone make a good man."  [1913 Webster]
•  A body of Christians having one common faith and discipline; as, the Presbyterian communion.  [1913 Webster]
•  The sacrament of the eucharist; the celebration of the Lord's supper; the act of partaking of the sacrament; as, to go to communion; to partake of the communion; called also Holy Communion.  [1913 Webster]

Close communion. See under Close, a. -- Communion elements, the bread and wine used in the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion service, the celebration of the Lord's supper, or the office or service therefor. -- Communion table, the table upon which the elements are placed at the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion in both kinds, participation in both the bread and wine by all communicants. -- Communion in one kind, participation in but one element, as in the Roman Catholic Church, where the laity partake of the bread only.

Syn. -- Share; participation; fellowship; converse; intercourse; unity; concord; agreement.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

communion, n.
1 a sharing, esp. of thoughts etc.; fellowship (their minds were in communion).
2 participation; a sharing in common (communion of interests).
3 (Communion, Holy Communion) a the Eucharist. b participation in the Communion service. c (attrib.) of or used in the Communion service (Communion-table; Communion-cloth; Communion-rail).
4 fellowship, esp. between branches of the Catholic Church.
5 a body or group within the Christian faith (the Methodist communion).

Idiom

communion of saints fellowship between Christians living and dead.

Etymology

ME f. OF communion or L communio f. communis common

THESAURUS

communion

Agnus Dei, Alleluia, Anamnesis, Blessing, Canon, Collect, Consecration, Credo, Dismissal, Epistle, Eucharist, Fraction, Gloria, Gospel, Gradual, Holy Communion, Host, Introit, Kyrie, Kyrie Eleison, Last Gospel, Last Supper, Lavabo, Offertory, Paternoster, Pax, Post-Communion, Preface, Sacrament Sunday, Sanctus, Secreta, Tersanctus, Tract, altar bread, bread, bread and wine, consecrated bread, consecrated elements, consubstantiation, elements, impanation, intinction, loaf, real presence, subpanation, the Holy Sacrament, the Sacrament, transubstantiation, wafer

ROGET THESAURUS

communion

Party

N party, faction, side, denomination, communion, set, crew, band, horde, posse, phalanx, family, clan, team, tong, council, community, body, fellowship, sodality, solidarity, confraternity, familistere, familistery, brotherhood, sisterhood, knot, gang, clique, ring, circle, group, crowd, in-crowd, coterie, club, casino, machine, Tammany, Tammany Hall, corporation, corporate body, guild, establishment, company, copartnership, partnership, firm, house, joint concern, joint-stock company, cahoot, combine, trust, society, association, institute, institution, union, trades union, league, syndicate, alliance, Verein, Bund, Zollverein, combination, Turnverein, league offensive and defensive, alliance offensive and defensive, coalition, federation, confederation, confederacy, junto, cabal, camarilla, camorra, brigue, freemasonry, party spirit, Confederates, Conservatives, Democrats, Federalists, Federals, Freemason, Knight Templar, Kuklux, Kuklux Klan, KKK, Liberals, Luddites, Republicans, Socialists, Tories, Whigs staff, dramatis personae, in league, in partnership, in alliance, bonded together, banded together, linked, joined together, embattled, confederated, federative, joint, hand in hand, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, en masse, in the same boat.

Participation

N participation, cotenancy, joint tenancy, occupancy in common, possession in common, tenancy in common, joint stock, common stock, co-partnership, partnership, communion, community of possessions, community of goods, communism, socialism, cooperation, snacks, coportion, picnic, hotchpot, co-heirship, co-parceny, co- parcenary, gavelkind, participator, sharer, co-partner, partner, shareholder, co-tenant, joint tenant, tenants in common, co-heir, co-parcener, communist, socialist, partaking, communistic, share and share alike.

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.