What does communique mean?
A communique is a formal, official announcement — typically a written statement issued to the press by a government, an international organization, a military command, or another institution. The word carries a distinctly official, even bureaucratic flavor: you would not call a friend's text message a communique, but the joint statement released after a summit between heads of state is a textbook example. Communiques often summarize the outcome of meetings or negotiations, and phrases such as 'joint communique', 'final communique', and 'issue a communique' are firmly established in political journalism. Borrowed directly from French, where communiquer means 'to communicate', the English term retains its French-derived form, including the stress pattern of the original. Because it signals authority and deliberation, the word lends weight to whatever it announces; a terse communique can be more consequential than a lengthy speech. For writers, it is the precise term when an institution speaks formally and publicly through the press.
nounAn official announcement or statement, especially one issued to the press by a government, organization, or military command.
- An official announcement or statement, especially one issued to the media after a meeting between governments, organizations, or military authorities.
"The two governments issued a joint communique at the close of the summit."
"The final communique called on both sides to resume negotiations without preconditions."
"A terse communique from army headquarters confirmed that the ceasefire had held overnight."
English style guides generally prefer 'communiques' without the acute accent, though the French-influenced 'communiqués' is also accepted.
"Both sides have issued several communiques since the talks began."
A word borrowed wholesale from French that still refuses to anglicize its ending — and it almost never appears outside the world of press offices, ministries, and summit rooms.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of communique
Communique comes from French, formed from the verb communiquer ('to communicate'), which derives from Latin communicare, meaning 'to share' or 'to make common', itself rooted in communis, 'common'. It entered English in the 19th century as a borrowing from French diplomatic and military usage, retaining both its spelling and much of its formal character. Its cognates include communicate, communal, and communion, all tracing back to the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How communique is actually used
Formal in register; used almost exclusively in diplomatic, governmental, military, and institutional contexts. The plural is usually written 'communiques' in English, though the French-style 'communiqués' also appears. Often used attributively as in 'joint communique' or 'final communique'.
Easily confused with communique
A communication is any act or instance of conveying information, while a communique is specifically a formal written announcement issued publicly.