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Synonyms

society

American  
[suh-sahy-i-tee] / səˈsaɪ ɪ ti /

noun

plural

societies
  1. an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.

    Synonyms:
    company, brotherhood, fraternity, fellowship, association
  2. a body of individuals living as members of a community; community.

  3. the body of human beings generally, associated or viewed as members of a community.

    the evolution of human society.

  4. a highly structured system of human organization for large-scale community living that normally furnishes protection, continuity, security, and a national identity for its members.

    American society.

  5. such a system characterized by its dominant economic class or form.

    middle-class society;

    industrial society.

  6. those with whom one has companionship.

  7. companionship; company.

    to enjoy the society of good friends.

    Synonyms:
    fellowship
  8. the social life of wealthy, prominent, or fashionable persons.

  9. the social class that comprises such persons.

  10. the condition of those living in companionship with others, or in a community, rather than in isolation.

  11. Biology. a closely integrated group of social organisms of the same species exhibiting division of labor.

  12. Ecclesiastical. ecclesiastical society.


adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of elegant society.

    a society photographer.

society British  
/ səˈsaɪətɪ /

noun

  1. the totality of social relationships among organized groups of human beings or animals

  2. a system of human organizations generating distinctive cultural patterns and institutions and usually providing protection, security, continuity, and a national identity for its members

  3. such a system with reference to its mode of social and economic organization or its dominant class

    middle-class society

  4. those with whom one has companionship

  5. an organized group of people associated for some specific purpose or on account of some common interest

    a learned society

    1. the privileged class of people in a community, esp as considered superior or fashionable

    2. ( as modifier )

      a society woman

  6. the social life and intercourse of such people

    to enter society as a debutante

  7. companionship; the fact or state of being together with someone else

    I enjoy her society

  8. ecology a small community of plants within a larger association

"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

society Idioms  

Related Words

See circle.

Other Word Forms

  • intersociety adjective
  • nonsociety noun
  • societyless adjective
  • subsociety noun
  • undersociety noun

Etymology

Origin of society

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French societe, from Latin societās, equivalent to soci(us) “partner, comrade” + -etās, variant of -itās -ity ( def. ) after a vowel

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.

The threat is even more serious given the fragility of Greenland's society.

From Barron's

The threat of widespread job replacement by these models on a large scale is bound to have a more profound impact on society than niche applications in a national security conflict, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the core of the conflict is a novel question: who should ultimately control how cutting-edge AI tools are deployed in conflict and society writ large?

From The Wall Street Journal

In doing so, he traces society’s perception of killers — fictional, real and those somewhere in between.

From Los Angeles Times

The men in front of me had to be part of the secret society called the Sons of Liberty that was formed to protect the rights of the colonists from British taxation.

From Literature