society

American  

[suh-sahy-i-tee] / səˈsaɪ ɪ ti /

noun

plural

societies

1. an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.

   Synonyms:

   company, brotherhood, fraternity, fellowship, association

2. a body of individuals living as members of a community; community.

3. the body of human beings generally, associated or viewed as members of a community.

   the evolution of human society.

4. a highly structured system of human organization for large-scale community living that normally furnishes protection, continuity, security, and a national identity for its members.

   American society.

5. such a system characterized by its dominant economic class or form.

   middle-class society;

   industrial society.

6. those with whom one has companionship.

7. companionship; company.

   to enjoy the society of good friends.

   Synonyms:

   fellowship

8. the social life of wealthy, prominent, or fashionable persons.

9. the social class that comprises such persons.

10. the condition of those living in companionship with others, or in a community, rather than in isolation.

11. Biology. a closely integrated group of social organisms of the same species exhibiting division of labor.

12. Ecclesiastical. ecclesiastical society.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of elegant society.

   a society photographer.

society British  

/ səˈsaɪətɪ /

noun

1. the totality of social relationships among organized groups of human beings or animals

2. a system of human organizations generating distinctive cultural patterns and institutions and usually providing protection, security, continuity, and a national identity for its members

3. such a system with reference to its mode of social and economic organization or its dominant class

   middle-class society

4. those with whom one has companionship

5. an organized group of people associated for some specific purpose or on account of some common interest

   a learned society

6. 1. the privileged class of people in a community, esp as considered superior or fashionable

   2. ( as modifier )

      a society woman

7. the social life and intercourse of such people

   to enter society as a debutante

8. companionship; the fact or state of being together with someone else

   I enjoy her society

9. ecology a small community of plants within a larger association

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society Idioms  

1. see under mutual admiration society.

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Related Words

See circle.

Other Word Forms

• intersociety adjective
• nonsociety noun
• societyless adjective
• subsociety noun
• undersociety noun

Etymology

Origin of society

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French societe, from Latin societās, equivalent to soci(us) “partner, comrade” + -etās, variant of -itās -ity ( def. ) after a vowel

Example Sentences

"As a society, is it a problem?" he asked, with most hands again going up.

From Barron's

Emails reveal the wealthy taking proxy measures of one another’s yachts and villas, showboating their riches in ways that make Tom Wolfe’s “Bonfire of the Vanities” look like a genteel glimpse into society mores.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the prime minister faces a tough act balancing an ageing society reluctant to receive immigrants and an economy that would not sustain without them.

From BBC

He’s ruthless in deciding which rhetorical nerves to hit and when to keep society’s blessing for moving his visions forward.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is about the importance to society of “obedience to the unenforceable”: “the obedience of a man to that which he cannot be forced to obey.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• association
• civilization
• community
• company
• culture
• humanity
• nation
• population
• public
• world