social structure

American  

[soh-shuhl struhk-cher] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈstrʌk tʃər /

noun

1. Sociology.

   1. the system or complex of beliefs held by members of a social group.

   2. the system of relations between the constituent groups of a society.

   3. the relationship between or the interrelated arrangement of the social institutions of a society or culture, as of mores, marriage customs, or family.

   4. the pattern of relationships, as of status or friendship, existing among the members of a group or society.

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Etymology

Origin of social structure

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Researchers thought this social structure could give females access to many different potential mates over time.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

Rational choices within families result in the Great Decompression, with deep consequences for the nation’s social structure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The law stipulates that under the "right to self-identity", settlements are entitled to protect and preserve their "social structure".

From Barron's • Oct. 20, 2025

What astonished him was their complex social structure, and evidence of what he believed to be signs of altruism.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

Most people around Charles believed that God had not only created all the species of animals at once, but that he had also created the social structure of their world.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• food chain
• hierarchy
• power structure