Communication: Definition 5

My favorite definition of communication actually comes from Wikipedia, a great source which I will not allow my students to cite but which I urge them to make good use of. And I will cite it myself here:

“Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning “to share”) is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.”

1. This definition, unlike all of the others shared here, references both intention and meaning. These are essential aspects of communication to which any definition must refer directly or indirectly. This definition gets a bonus for combining the two concepts into one, intended meanings!
2. With the words “mutually understood,” this definition recognizes the personal nature of communication, as opposed to the frequently used mechanical terminology (process, code).
3. In short, this is one of the simplest and best definitions of communication that I have seen.