French word

commune

Pronunciation

IPA/komyn/

Meaning

  • feminine nounmunicipality

Example

La commune est responsable de la collecte des déchets.

The municipality is responsible for waste collection.

Illustration for commune (municipality)

More examples

Le maire de la commune a organisé une réunion.

The mayor of the municipality organized a meeting.

Core concept

A local community organized around its council and town hall.

Common phrases

  • le maire de la commune

    the mayor of the municipality

  • le conseil municipal de la commune

    the municipality's municipal council

  • la rénovation de la commune

    the redevelopment of the municipality

Similar words

mairie: The local government building or service counter for procedures and certificate issuance.
ville: A sizable urban area where people, businesses, facilities, and public services are concentrated.
village: A small rural settlement with a limited population and modest scale.
municipalité: The institution that carries out local government for a town, city, or district.

Definition in French

La commune correspond à une municipalité, c'est-à-dire une entité locale (ville, village, hameau) dotée d'un conseil municipal et d'une mairie.

Word origin

Commune derives from medieval French commune and Latin communis, meaning "shared" or "common," and developed from a shared community into a municipal unit.

Usage tips

  • Commune is feminine, so standard forms include une commune and la commune.

Other meanings

  • townnoun
  • villagenoun

Related words

Word lists with this word