sociological

American  

[soh-see-uh-loj-i-kuhl, soh-shee-] / ˌsoʊ si əˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl, ˌsoʊ ʃi- /

Also sociologic

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of sociology and its methodology.

2. dealing with social questions or problems, especially focusing on cultural and environmental factors rather than on psychological or personal characteristics.

   a sociological approach to art.

3. organized into a society; social.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsociological adjective
• sociologically adverb
• unsociological adjective
• unsociologically adverb

Etymology

Origin of sociological

First recorded in 1835–45; sociolog(y) + -ic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The term isn’t an insult; it’s a well-established sociological concept used to describe how trends such as eating disorders and even suicide clusters can spread.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

If his sociological role is symbolic, his psychology adds depth.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025

This is a blinkered and shallow understanding of religion that crumbles under historical or sociological scrutiny.

From Slate • Jul. 9, 2025

Indeed, my sociological research shows that the government has steadily withdrawn from economic production for decades, outsourcing many responsibilities to the private sector.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2025

This chapter has pointed instead to a sociological reality—the scientific network—and more concretely, the small crowd that surrounded Périer on the summit of the Puy-de-Dôme.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton