Lewis & Short

commūnĭcātĭo, ōnis, f. [communico] (several times in Cic., elsewh. rare), a making common, imparting, communicating.

  1. I. In gen.: largitio et communicatio civitatis, Cic. Balb. 13, 31: quaedam societas et communicatio utilitatum, id. Fin. 5, 23, 65: consilii, id. Fam. 5, 19, 2: sermonis, id. Att. 1, 17, 6: criminis cum pluribus, Tiro ap. Gell. 7, 3, 14: nominum, i. e. the like appellation of several objects, Plin. 24, 14, 80, § 129: juris, Dig. 23, 2, 1: damni, ib. 27, 3, 1, § 14.
  2. II. In rhet., a figure of speech, = ἀνακοίνωσις, in accordance with which one turns to his hearers, and, as it were, allows them to take part in the inquiry, Cic. de Or. 3, 53, 204; Quint. 9, 1, 30; 9, 2, 20 and 23.