society

1 of 2

noun

so·​ci·​e·​ty sə-ˈsī-ə-tē How to pronounce society (audio)
plural societies
1
: companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : company
2
: a voluntary association of individuals for common ends
especially : an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession
3
a
: an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another
b
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
4
a
: a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct : a social circle or a group of social circles having a clearly marked identity
literary society
b
: a part of the community that sets itself apart as a leisure class and that regards itself as the arbiter of fashion and manners
5
a
: a natural group of plants usually of a single species or habit within an association
b
: the progeny of a pair of insects when constituting a social unit (such as a hive of bees)
broadly : an interdependent system of organisms or biological units

society

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or typical of fashionable society

Examples of society in a Sentence

Noun Poverty hurts society as a whole. We need to do more to help the poorer members of our society. the values of Western society She was introduced to society at a formal reception. The club's members are drawn from the ranks of high society.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Founders also held great hope for the future, envisioning a society where peace, fairness and justice would prevail. Peggy O’Neal Faith Matters, arkansasonline.com, 19 Oct. 2024 Engineering decisions can significantly affect society’s behavior. Songyee Yoon, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 The latest from writer-director Sean Baker, whose stories tend to follow people living on the margins of society (see also 2015’s Tangerine, 2017’s The Florida Project, and 2021’s Red Rocket), the film is by turns anxiety inducing, startlingly funny, and poignant. Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024 This is a symbol of something that is changing in out contemporary society, especially in Italy where some topics are treated conservatively. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for society 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'society.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French societé, from Latin societat-, societas, from socius companion — more at social

First Known Use

Noun

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of society was in 1529

Dictionary Entries Near society

Cite this Entry

“Society.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/society. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

society

1 of 2 noun
so·​ci·​ety
sə-ˈsī-ət-ē
plural societies
1
: the community life thought of as a system within which the individual lives
rural society
2
: people for the most part
the benefit of society
3
: an association of persons for some purpose
the school French society
4
: a part of a community thought of as a unit set apart by common interests or values
especially : the group or set of fashionable persons
5
: a system or group of living things that depend on each other and usually form a social unit (as a hive of bees)
6
: the state of being with other people
societal
-ət-ᵊl
adjective

society

2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, or characteristic of fashionable society

Legal Definition

society

noun
so·​ci·​e·​ty sə-ˈsī-ə-tē How to pronounce society (audio)
plural societies
1
: the benefits of love, care, affection, and companionship that family members receive from each other
sought damages for loss of society from his wife's wrongful death
compare consortium
2
: a voluntary association of individuals dedicated to common ends
a conservation society
3
: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
societal adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on society

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