communicate
v.-
1 to express feelings (v.) B1 Intermediateto make your thoughts or feelings clear to others.
to successfully convey or transmit a specific feeling, idea, or meaning to an audience.
ExampleIt can be hard to communicate exactly how you feel when you are upset.
ExampleThe artist managed to communicate a profound sense of isolation through the stark, minimalist composition of her later landscapes.
UsageOften used transitively where the object is the emotion or idea being shared.
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2 to spread a disease (v.) C1 Advanced Technical Formal Medicineto pass a sickness from one person to another.
to transmit a disease or physical condition to another person or organism.
ExampleSome viruses are easily communicated through a simple cough or sneeze.
ExampleThe medical report detailed how the pathogen was communicated throughout the ward via contaminated surfaces.
UsageUsually used in the passive voice in medical contexts.
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3 connected rooms (v.) B2 Upper Intermediate Formalwhen two rooms or buildings have a door or path between them.
to be connected or to open into each other, as with adjoining rooms.
ExampleThe hotel gave us two communicating rooms so the children were nearby.
ExampleThe master bedroom and the nursery are joined by a communicating door, allowing for easy access during the night.
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.
From Middle English communicate, an adapted borrowing of Latin commūnicātus (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), perfect passive participle of commūnicō (“to make commune”).
- Verbcommunicate
- Nouncommunicator