social

[ soh-shuhl ]

adjective

1. relating to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations:

   a social club.

2. seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
3. of, relating to, connected with, or suited to polite or fashionable society:

   a social event.

4. living or disposed to live in companionship with others or in a community, rather than in isolation:

   People are social beings.

5. of or relating to human society, especially as a body divided into classes according to status:

   social rank.

6. involved in many social activities:

   We're so busy working, we have to be a little less social now.

7. of or relating to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community:

   social problems.

8. noting or relating to activities designed to remedy or alleviate certain unfavorable conditions of life in a community, especially among poor people.
9. relating to or advocating the theory or system of socialism.
10. Digital Technology. noting or relating to online technologies, activities, etc., that promote companionship or communication with friends and other personal contacts: the use of social software to share expertise. social media.

    social websites such as Facebook;

    the use of social software to share expertise.

11. Zoology. living habitually together in communities, as bees or ants. Compare solitary ( def 8 ).
12. Botany. growing in patches or clumps.
13. Rare. occurring or taking place between allies or confederates.

noun

1. a social gathering or party, especially of or as given by an organized group:

   a church social.

2. Digital Technology. social media ( def ):

   photos posted to social.

social

/ ˈsəʊʃəl /

adjective

1. living or preferring to live in a community rather than alone
2. denoting or relating to human society or any of its subdivisions
3. of, relating to, or characteristic of the experience, behaviour, and interaction of persons forming groups
4. relating to or having the purpose of promoting companionship, communal activities, etc

   a social club

5. relating to or engaged in social services

   a social worker

6. relating to or considered appropriate to a certain class of society, esp one thought superior
7. (esp of certain species of insects) living together in organized colonies Compare solitary

   social bees

8. (of plant species) growing in clumps, usually over a wide area

noun

1. an informal gathering, esp of an organized group, to promote companionship, communal activity, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈsocially, adverb
• ˈsocialness, noun

Other Words From

• social·ly adverb
• social·ness noun
• hyper·social adjective
• inter·social adjective
• non·social adjective
• pseudo·social adjective
• un·social adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of social¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, Middle French, from Latin sociālis, equivalent to soci(us) “partner, comrade, ally” (derivative of sequī “to follow”) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of social¹

C16: from Latin sociālis companionable, from socius a comrade

Example Sentences

By contrast, Donald Trump, who becomes president in about six weeks, said on his social media platform that the U.S. should “stay out of it.”

From Los Angeles Times

This victory fueled the “Calgorithm” and helped it quickly take over social media in the opening month of the season.

From Los Angeles Times

Smack Jay uses music to promote hope and advocate for social change, and has been collaborating with local artists in Belfast.

From BBC

Videos from Damascus on social media appear to show Syrian military members putting up minimal resistance and discarding their uniforms as rebel forces approached the city.

From Salon

That arrangement held for about three months, until Barnier tried to force through cuts in social security spending by using a slippery parliamentary maneuver that avoided an up-or-down vote.

From Salon

Related Words

• civil
• communal