social structure

American  

[soh-shuhl struhk-cher] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈstrʌk tʃər /

noun

social structures plural

1. Sociology.

   1. the system or complex of beliefs held by members of a social group.

   2. the system of relations between the constituent groups of a society.

   3. the relationship between or the interrelated arrangement of the social institutions of a society or culture, as of mores, marriage customs, or family.

   4. the pattern of relationships, as of status or friendship, existing among the members of a group or society.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• social structures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of social structure

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social structure

A recent paper in Science by Harvard University economist Amanda Pallais found that fully remote work sharply changes the social structure of the workday by removing opportunities to interact with other people.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026

Researchers thought this social structure could give females access to many different potential mates over time.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

Rational choices within families result in the Great Decompression, with deep consequences for the nation’s social structure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

The law stipulates that under the "right to self-identity", settlements are entitled to protect and preserve their "social structure".

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2025

The culture of possibility that Daisy Ford embraced and put to use so brilliantly on behalf of her daughters was passed on to her by the peculiarities of the West Indian social structure.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• food chain
• hierarchy
• power structure