sociology
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is sociology? Sociology is the study of human society and the social interactions and behavior of humans. Sociology is, generally speaking, the study of human interaction. How do people socialize? What happens when people live together? How are members of a group influencing each other? Why does someone become a king and someone else lives their whole life as a peasant? These are the kinds of questions a sociologist is interested in. Sociology is an incredibly broad science and often overlaps with other fields of study, such as psychology or economics. A sociologist may look at social groups on a large (macro) scale, such as studying the different societies of Asia, or may look at groups on a small (micro) scale, such as studying Brazilian teenagers or even a single town. As far as a sociologist is concerned, no person ever makes a decision without some influence from society or their social groups. Sociology isn’t just the study of people but more specifically the study of what happens when people are around each other.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sociology
From the French word sociologie, dating back to 1835–45. See socio-, -logy
Explanation
Sociology is the study of human cultures, communities, and societies. Sociology attempts to explain how a society works, whether that society is a native tribe in the Amazon or an old folks’ home in Nebraska. Sociology is one of the social — sometimes called soft — sciences. It's the study of human actions and interactions. People who study sociology — sociologists — look at how people interact in groups and what kinds of religions, governments, schools, and other ways of life they create. While psychology looks mostly at individuals, sociology looks at people in groups.
Vocabulary lists containing sociology
Power Suffix: -ology
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A Raisin in the Sun
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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:
The "Country Roads" appeal lies in the way it conveys "a kinder, simpler era with less conflict and division," said Doug Hartmann, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota.
From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026
Her caveat—“believe half of what you see”—resonates throughout the book as it pivots off of works by luminaries in neuroscience, evolutionary biology and sociology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Jessica Ringrose, a professor of sociology of gender and education at University College London, agrees.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
Karen Guzzo, PhD, is a professor of sociology and the director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina; she’s an expert on fertility preferences and fertility behaviors.
From Salon ● May 15, 2026
The other is for sociology with a minor concentration in women’s studies.
From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
In her catalog essay, Ms. Semmelhack does a good job of surveying the history of sneakers and their associated sociologies.
From New York Times ● Jul. 9, 2015
My curiosity, in the case of Prince Jones, opened a world of newspaper clippings, histories, and sociologies.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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.
