sorority
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of sorority
1525–35; < Medieval Latin sorōritās, equivalent to Latin sorōr- (stem of soror ) sister + -itās -ity
Explanation
If you join a sorority, you're joining a social organization for women, typically one based at a university or college. Your sorority probably has a lot of social events such as meetings, mixers, galas, and fundraisers. First used in the 1530s, the noun sorority stems from the Middle Latin word sororitas, meaning "sisterhood, of or pertaining to sisters." Although members of a sorority aren't actually biological sisters, the idea is to form a strong bond between members — or "sisters" — based on commitment to the group. To build allegiance, members of a sorority might wear the same sweatshirts with Greek letters and attend social events and regular club meetings.
Vocabulary lists containing sorority
Tears of a Tiger
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When I Was the Greatest
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The Parker Inheritance
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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.
You’ve said that viral videos of #RushTok influencers don’t necessarily represent the broad swath of sorority women.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Then and now, Addicks helps young sorority hopefuls fine-tune their networking skills, clean up their social media, learn how to chat with strangers and perfect their style.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
We kissed, and with it came a memory: Freshman year of college, orientation week or shortly afterward, I was at a football party with the girl who would soon be my sorority big.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
After Weston, Miller went to the University of Florida, her father’s alma mater, and pledged to the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.
From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025
By the time I get on and off the turnpike, I’m starving, so I go to a drive-thru and then cruise the fraternity and sorority houses looking for those familiar Greek letters.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
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.
