community - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
community Word Meanings
- a group of people living together
- a feeling of fellowship with others
- a social, religious, or professional group
community Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
community Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/kəˈmjuː.nɪ.ti/
US
/kəˈmjun.ɪ.ti/
community Word Etymology
Root decomposition: com- = together, munis = services; Historical origin: Latin → Old French → English; Memory image: Picture a group of people gathering, sharing services, and feeling connected – like a community potluck dinner where everyone brings a dish.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I shift my focus from my own thoughts to the people around me, and I move my chair a little to invite conversation. I adjust my stance, turn toward someone, and let the small talk pull us toward a shared moment. As stories and questions flow, the room changes from strangers to a circle where each person can hold a thread in the same fabric. We keep showing up, offering help and listening, and that simple practice grows into a feeling of fellowship—the sense that this is our community.
Real Context
In English, community can refer to a tangible group of people living in the same area, but it also describes a felt sense of belonging and mutual support within a larger social fabric. Learners should distinguish among a geographic community (neighbors), a community of practice (professionals sharing methods), and a general sense of fellowship. Common collocations include community center, community service, community guidelines, and community outreach. The word can also mean a broader, global sense as in “the international community.” Etymology highlights togetherness and shared services, reinforcing the idea of mutual aid across contexts.
Usage Reminders
- Use community for a local group or the feeling of belonging.
- Differentiate geographic community, professional community, and a broader sense of fellowship.
- Remember common collocations: community center, community service, community guidelines, community outreach.
- Avoid using 'community' where you mean 'neighborhood' or 'society'—choose precisely.
- Pronounce /kəˈmjuːnɪti/ with emphasis on the second syllable.
Common Misconceptions
- Believing community always means a neighborhood or city; it can also be a sense of belonging.
- Confusing 'community' with 'society' or 'population' when a narrower term is intended.
- Treating 'the community' as a single, fixed group instead of recognizing multiple communities (geographic, professional, online).
- Using 'community' to describe individuals rather than a group or network (incorrect plural sense).
- Overgeneralizing online communities as offline; online and offline communities have different dynamics.
Thinking Differences
English often frames community as both a concrete group and an abstract sense of belonging; learners may over-focus on 'the group' and overlook personal belonging, or confuse community with neighborhood or society.
Learning Tips
- Map the senses: geographical community vs community of practice vs abstract belonging.
- Practice collocations in context (center, service, guidelines, outreach).
- Compare with neighborhood and society to spot nuance shifts.
- Use 'the community' for a specific group and 'a global/ international community' for broader sense.
- Listen for emphasis: belonging often carries emotional tone in conversation.
- Check pronounciation and stress on the second syllable: com-MU-ni-ty.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'community'?
A.Connected group of people
B.Angry group of people
C.Lonely individual
D.Independent organization
Step 2: Usage
How can the word 'community' be used in a sentence?
A.She isolated herself from the community
B.They disbanded the community
C.He built a community center
D.The community disappeared
Step 3: Similar Words
What is a similar word to 'community'?
A.Separation
B.Isolation
C.Division
D.Society
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is an opposite word to 'community'?
A.Connection
B.Group
C.Division
D.Gathering
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context might you experience a community?
A.Alone on a deserted island
B.In a crowded city
C.At a neighborhood block party
D.In a private mansion
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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