an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.
a body of individuals living as members of a community; community.
the body of human beings generally, associated or viewed as members of a community: the evolution of human society.
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.
such a system characterized by its dominant economic class or form: middle-class society; industrial society.
those with whom one has companionship.
companionship; company: to enjoy the society of good friends.
the social life of wealthy, prominent, or fashionable persons.
the social class that comprises such persons.
the condition of those living in companionship with others, or in a community, rather than in isolation.
Biology. a closely integrated group of social organisms of the same species exhibiting division of labor.
the totality of social relationships among organized groups of human beings or animals
a system of human organizations generating distinctive cultural patterns and institutions and usually providing protection, security, continuity, and a national identity for its members
such a system with reference to its mode of social and economic organization or its dominant classmiddle-class society
those with whom one has companionship
an organized group of people associated for some specific purpose or on account of some common interesta learned society
the privileged class of people in a community, esp as considered superior or fashionable
(as modifier)a society woman
the social life and intercourse of such peopleto enter society as a debutante
companionship; the fact or state of being together with someone elseI enjoy her society
ecologya small community of plants within a larger association
Word Origin for society
C16: via Old French societé from Latin societās, from socius a comrade
1530s, "companionship, friendly association with others," from Old French societe "company" (12c., Modern French société), from Latin societatem (nominative societas) "fellowship, association, alliance, union, community," from socius "companion" (see social (adj.)).
Meaning "group, club" is from 1540s, originally of associations of persons for some specific purpose. Meaning "people bound by neighborhood and intercourse aware of living together in an ordered community" is from 1630s. Sense of "the more cultivated part of any community" first recorded 1823, hence "fashionable people and their doings." The Society Islands were named 1769 by Cook on his third Pacific voyage in honor of the Royal Society, which financed his travels across the world to observe the transit of Venus.
