social science

noun

1
: a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society
2
: a science (such as economics or political science) dealing with a particular phase or aspect of human society
social scientist noun

Examples of social science in a Sentence

Economics is a social science.
Recent Examples on the Web The interviews of key players in the drama were conducted by Incite, a social science research institute at Columbia University, and were made public as the second tranche of a yearslong effort to document the eventful times under the nation’s 44th president. Peter Baker, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 Weli took home the overall winner’s purse of $2,000, in addition to his $750 social science category prize. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 National data show people with social science degrees outearn many other majors, are in demand across industries and have a 5% job growth outlook, which is faster than the national average. Carol J. Petty, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024 At Duke University, Philip J. Cook explored the underground gun market, interviewing people incarcerated in Chicago jails and compiling pivotal social science research on how guns are bought, sold, and traded. Christine Spolar, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 In November the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University announced a new, three-year collaborative initiative to expand psychedelic research across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Andrew Deangelo, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Students should be encouraged to be more interdisciplinary, exploring diverse disciplines and combining their strengths, such as humanities and social sciences with STEM fields, says Fujii. Anna Esaki-Smith, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 But in South Carolina — a state with a near-perfect track record of picking Republican presidential nominees going back to 1980 — the Trump fervor is just as strong, said Gibbs Knotts, a political science professor and dean of humanities and social sciences at the College of Charleston. USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2024 Gilmore, 34, went on to play at Wyoming, getting a degree in social science. Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of social science was in 1746

Dictionary Entries Near social science

Cite this Entry

“Social science.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20science. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

social science

noun
1
: a science that deals with human society or its elements (as family, state, or race) and with institutions and relationships in an organized community
2
: a science (as economics) dealing with a particular side of human society

Medical Definition

social science

noun
1
: a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society
2
: a science (as anthropology or social psychology) dealing with a particular phase or aspect of human society

More from Merriam-Webster on social science

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