gregarious
Americanadjective
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enjoying the company of others
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(of animals) living together in herds or flocks Compare solitary
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(of plants) growing close together but not in dense clusters
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of, relating to, or characteristic of crowds or communities
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gregarious
First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin gregārius “belonging to a flock,” from greg- (stem of grex ) “crowd, flock, herd” + -ārius -ary ( def. )
Explanation
If you know someone who's outgoing, sociable, and fond of the company of others, you might want to call her gregarious. The word was originally used to describe animals that live in flocks — it's from the Latin word grex, meaning "herd." Not surprisingly, people began using it to describe humans who liked being in groups. Today biologists still speak of gregarious species, but you're more likely to hear it in reference to people. Despite what you might suspect, it has no historical connection to the name Gregory — but if you know an outgoing fellow with that name, you could call him Greg-arious.
Vocabulary lists containing gregarious
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gregarious and energetic, Sakata would prove to be a sustaining force for many of these networks.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2023
Gregarious, with wraparound sunglasses and beefy forearms, he told me he brought a “servant’s heart” to his work in juvenile probation.
From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2022
Gregarious and popular with his staff, Mr Byford seemed like he was in the job for the long term and his departure is a big loss for London.
From BBC • Sep. 22, 2022
Gregarious and friendly, people were drawn to Langer, said her colleague, Kimberly Millering, who remembered her as an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
From Washington Post • Jun. 1, 2019
Once my identity was verified, the Gregarious Simulation Systems logo appeared in front of me, followed by the log-in prompt.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
