late 14c., "communicating," from Old French communicable and directly from Late Latin communicabilis, from Latin communicare "to share, divide out; communicate, impart, inform; join, unite, participate in," literally "to make common," related to communis "common, public, general" (see common (adj.)). Meaning "capable of being imparted or transferred" is from 1530s. Sense of "ready to converse or impart information" is from 1530s. Related: Communicability.
