sodality

1 a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest <a 19th-century observer of American society noted that Americans had a fondness for forming sodalities> Synonyms board, brotherhood, chamber, club, college, congress, consortium, council, fellowship, fraternity, guild (also gild), institute, institution, league, order, organization, society, associationRelated Words collective, commune, community, cooperative; alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership; body, cadre, group; circle, clan, clique, coterie, junta, junto, klatch (also klatsch), lot, set; crew, outfit, party, squad, team; branch, chapter, local; faithful, fold, membership; sisterhood, sorority; cabal, camarilla, camorra, confederacy, conspiracy; band, gang, ring; cartel, combine, syndicate

2 the body of people in a profession or field of activity <a tragic loss of life that was felt throughout the sodality of firefighters> Synonyms brotherhood, community, fellowship, fraternity, corps, vocationRelated Words calling, profession; association, club, federation, guild (also gild), organization, society