social science

American  

noun

1. the study of society and social behavior.

2. a science or field of study, as history, economics, etc., dealing with an aspect of society or forms of social activity.

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social science British  

noun

1. the study of society and of the relationship of individual members within society, including economics, history, political science, psychology, anthropology, and sociology

2. any of these subjects studied individually

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social science Scientific  

/ sō′shəl /

1. Any of various disciplines that study human society and social relationships, including sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and history.

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social science Cultural  

1. The study of how groups of people behave, often in an effort to predict how they will behave in the future. The social sciences include economics, anthropology, sociology, political science, and aspects of psychology and history.

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Other Word Forms

• social scientist noun

Etymology

Origin of social science

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Professor David Voas, emeritus professor of social science at University College London, was one of those who raised suspicion over the Bible Society's findings.

From BBC

Bill and earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences before pursuing a master’s in history from the same school before eventually earning a doctorate at USC.

From Los Angeles Times

He appears in social science standards, English lessons, and units on American heroes and biography writing.

From Los Angeles Times

While a handful of star researchers on the cutting edge of science attract federal grants in the tens-of-millions of dollars, faculty in the social sciences and humanities often struggle to generate six figures.

From The Wall Street Journal

Marcie Niland-Sinyard, 19, studies social sciences at Cardiff University, and while media stories about interest rates worry her, she is unsure how much she will actually pay back.

From BBC

Related Words

• business
• finance