gregarious
Americanadjective
-
enjoying the company of others
-
(of animals) living together in herds or flocks Compare solitary
-
(of plants) growing close together but not in dense clusters
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 as the protagonist of “The Killer,” his new feature with Fincher, is taciturn — the screenwriter’s proud that, in his first script draft, Michael Fassbender’s unnamed, professional assassin had only 13 lines of dialogue.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2023
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 seemingly inexhaustible, González was especially strong and compassionate in crisis situations, both covering the news and tirelessly organizing help when colleagues were ill or injured.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2021
Gregarious guides may entreat visitors to speak from the podium used by Dr. King.
From New York Times • May 3, 2018
When Gregarious Games finally went public, their stock immediately shot into the stratosphere.
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.
