communicant

noun

com·​mu·​ni·​cant kə-ˈmyü-ni-kənt How to pronounce communicant (audio)
1
: a church member entitled to receive Communion
broadly : a member of a fellowship
2
: one that communicates
specifically : informant
communicant adjective

Examples of communicant in a Sentence

He was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
Recent Examples on the Web The North Charles Street resident was a communicant of St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, 740 N. Calvert Street, where a Memorial Mass will be offered at 1 p.m. June 3, with interment in Arlington National Cemetery. Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2023 Simon—five years older and strikingly beautiful—works as a political consultant for high-minded left-wing politicians, is a communicant in the Roman Catholic Church, and has considered joining the priesthood. Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021 The longtime resident of Sherwood Road in Ruxton was an active communicant at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, serving as a vestry member, junior warden and stewardship chair. Frederick N. Rasmussen, baltimoresun.com, 21 Feb. 2021 Alfred was a longtime communicant of Church of the Assumption. courant.com, 4 Sep. 2019 Both the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Arlington have taken precautionary steps: removing holy water from fonts, asking communicants to receive it by hand, and limiting the distribution of the Precious Blood to just priests. Nicholas Rowan, Washington Examiner, 10 Mar. 2020 Although each of us communes the Body and Blood of Christ, the invisible microbes that may enter our mouths from the previous communicant are harmless. Christina Capatides, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2020 Marcie was a communicant of Our Lady of Peace Church, worked Bingo, and was an active member of OLOP Retiree Club, which provided her with many years of enjoyment. courant.com, 17 June 2019 Then the procession begins to form, beginning with the crucifer and growing to include banner-carriers, flower girls, and first communicants. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 22 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'communicant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of communicant was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near communicant

Cite this Entry

“Communicant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communicant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

communicant

noun
com·​mu·​ni·​cant kə-ˈmyü-ni-kənt How to pronounce communicant (audio)
1
: a person who takes Communion : a church member
2
: a person who communicates

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