society
Americannoun
-
societies
plural
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an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.
- Synonyms:
- company, brotherhood, fraternity, fellowship, association
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a body of individuals living as members of a community; community.
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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.
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such a system characterized by its dominant economic class or form.
middle-class society;
industrial society.
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those with whom one has companionship.
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companionship; company.
to enjoy the society of good friends.
- Synonyms:
- fellowship
-
the social life of wealthy, prominent, or fashionable persons.
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the social class that comprises such persons.
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the condition of those living in companionship with others, or in a community, rather than in isolation.
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Biology. a closely integrated group of social organisms of the same species exhibiting division of labor.
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Ecclesiastical. ecclesiastical society.
adjective
noun
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the totality of social relationships among organized groups of human beings or animals
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a system of human organizations generating distinctive cultural patterns and institutions and usually providing protection, security, continuity, and a national identity for its members
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such a system with reference to its mode of social and economic organization or its dominant class
middle-class society
-
those with whom one has companionship
-
an organized group of people associated for some specific purpose or on account of some common interest
a learned society
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the privileged class of people in a community, esp as considered superior or fashionable
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( as modifier )
a society woman
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the social life and intercourse of such people
to enter society as a debutante
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companionship; the fact or state of being together with someone else
I enjoy her society
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ecology a small community of plants within a larger association
Synonym Usage
See circle.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
The noun society refers to people living in social order. Unless you are a reclusive person, you are a part of society in some way or another. Society can also refer to fashionable elite, the "beau monde" or "smart set." An organization or club formed around a common interest is sometimes also called a society. To add to its mystique, this type of society might create special rules, greetings, or handshakes. Certain national societies that may have branches in your community include the Elks Lodge or the National Association of Professional Women.
Vocabulary lists containing society
Vocabulary to Describe Literary Devices
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"The Constitution"
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That working together, society can make a difference.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
“This is a rampant issue in our society, and I end up talking to people all over the place that that is a top issue for them in their life,” Hines added.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026
Despite official denials, in Russian society there remains deep anxiety over the possibility of a new mobilisation.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
They will be prepared to lead and help shape the policy and legal frameworks that we will need to govern a democratic society where AI is widely deployed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Nineteenth-century society dictated strict roles for women and men.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Scholars of collective memory, also called public memory, have long argued that societies do not remember the past simply by preserving it.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
Even so, many Western societies remain strongly resistant to entomophagy, or eating insects, despite the fact that hundreds of millions of people around the world already include insects in their diets.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
But experience since 2022, “and a century of strategic bombing before that, say sustained air attack hardens societies rather than breaking them, and there is nothing in the Ukrainian data suggesting otherwise,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
"Attacks against volunteers and humanitarian personnel are unacceptable," the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said in a statement, along with the Red Cross societies of the DR Congo and Uganda.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Modern Indigenous nations and communities are societies shaped by their resistance to colonialism.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
