sociology

[soh-see-ol-uh-jee, soh-shee-]

noun

the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society; the science of the fundamental laws of social relations, institutions, etc.

Origin of sociology

From the French word sociologie, dating back to 1835–45. See socio-, -logy

Related formsso·ci·ol·o·gist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sociologist

Contemporary Examples of sociologist

I talked with Hilary Levey Friedman, a sociologist and author of Playing to Win: Raising Children in a Competitive Culture.
My Loser Kid Should Get a Trophy
Brandy Zadrozny
August 22, 2014
The sociologist Michael Mann called this process by which wars create larger and more productive societies “caging.”
War! What Is It Good For? A Lot
Nick Romeo
August 13, 2014
As the 19th-century German sociologist Max Weber said, what good is the best social policy if the Cossacks are coming?
Why Democracy Will Struggle In The Arab World In 2014
Balint Szlanko
January 12, 2014
Perec used to do market research (like his protagonists in Things) and was friendly with the sociologist Henri Lefebvre.
To Dream a Dream: Georges Perec’s Night Visions
Lauren Elkin
December 26, 2013
And sociologist Pierre Bourdieu was a scientist who really looked into poverty and inequalities in France.
What Is Michel Gondry Doing With Noam Chomsky?
Jimmy So
November 20, 2013

Historical Examples of sociologist

Campanella was also, as we should say nowadays, a sociologist.
Initiation into Philosophy
Emile Faguet
But if I'm anything I'm a sociologist, and my business is to make experiments.
The Coryston Family
Mrs. Humphry Ward
The first of these is the province of the sociologist; the second that of the eugenist.
The Meaning of Evolution
Samuel Christian Schmucker
These will be the views respectively of the economist and the sociologist.
The Deaf
Harry Best
History supplies much of the data of the sociologist from the records of the past.
Society
Henry Kalloch Rowe

British Dictionary definitions for sociologist

sociology

noun

the study of the development, organization, functioning, and classification of human societies

Derived Formssociological (ˌsəʊsɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjectivesociologically, adverbsociologist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sociologist

1843, from sociology + -ist.

sociology

the science of social phenomena, 1843, from French sociologie, a hybrid coined 1830 by French philosopher Isidore Auguste Comte (1798-1857), from Latin socius "associate" (see social (adj.)) + Greek-derived suffix -logie (see -logy).

sociologist in Science

sociology

[sō′sē-ŏl′ə-jē]

The scientific study of human social behavior and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions.

sociologist in Culture

sociology

The systematic study of human society, especially present-day societies. Sociologists study the organization, institutions, and development of societies, with a particular interest in identifying causes of the changing relationships among individuals and groups. (See social science.)