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society

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society

  • /səˈsaɪ.ə.ti/ UK
  • /səˈsaɪ.ə.ti/ Canada, US
  • [səˈsaɪ.ə.ɾi] Canada, US
  • /səˈsɑe.ə.ti/ Australia
  • [səˈsɑe̯.ə.ɾi] Australia
  • /səˈsaɪ.ə.ti/ New Zealand
  • [səˈsɑe̯.ə.ɾi] New Zealand

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Middle French societé, from Old French societé, from Latin societās, societātem (“fellowship, association, alliance, union, community”), from socius (“associated, allied; partner, companion, ally”), from Proto-Indo-European *sokʷ-yo- (“companion”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). First attested in the 1530s.

noun societies · soc.

  1. countable A long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms. This society has been known for centuries for its colorful clothing and tight-knit family structure.
  2. countable A group of people who meet from time to time to engage in a common interest; an association or organization. It was then that they decided to found a society of didgeridoo-playing unicyclists.
  3. countable The sum total of all voluntary interrelations between individuals. The gap between Western and Eastern societies seems to be narrowing.
  4. uncountable Companionship or association with one's fellows; friendly or intimate intercourse. The society of friends is one of life's great joys.
  5. uncountable The people of one’s country or community taken as a whole. Our global society develops in fits and starts.
  6. uncountable High society. Smith was first introduced into society at the Duchess of Grand Fenwick's annual rose garden party.
  7. countable A number of people joined by mutual consent to deliberate, determine and act toward a common goal.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: club, company, fellowship, comradeship, guild, high society, companionship, order, smart set, beau monde, bon ton, lodge, gild, good fellowship, gesellschaft, community

Translations

Every language

noun group of people sharing culture

Españolsociedad
한국어사회 sahoe
日本語社会 shakai
中文社會 /社会 shèhuì
हिन्दीसमाज samāj
Kiswahilijamii
Portuguêssociedade
Françaissociété
DeutschGesellschaft
Italianosocietà
Ελληνικάκοινωνία koinonía
Românăsocietate
Русскийо́бщество óbščestvo, со́циум sócium
Tiếng Việtxã hội
العربيةمُجْتَمَع mujtamaʕ, جَمَاعَة jamāʕa, جَامِعَة jāmiʕa
עבריתחֶבְרָה khevrá

noun group of persons who meet from time to time to engage in a common interest

Españolsociedad
한국어모임 moim, 회 hoe, 협회 hyeophoe, 학회 hakhoe, 조합 johap, 연구회 yeon'guhoe
日本語組織 soshiki, 協会 kyōkai
中文會 /会 huì, 會社 /会社 huìshè, 學會 /学会 xuéhuì, 協會 /协会 xiéhuì
हिन्दीसंस्था sansthā, संघ saṅgh
Kiswahilichama
Portuguêsgrupo, sociedade, associação, grêmio, agremiação
DeutschGesellschaft
Italianosocietà, associazione
Ελληνικάσύλλογος sýllogos, εταιρεία etaireía
Românăsocietate
Русскийо́бщество óbščestvo, соо́бщество soóbščestvo
العربيةجَمْعِيَّة jamʕiyya

noun people of one’s country or community as a whole

Españolsociedad, comunidad
한국어사회 sahoe
Portuguêssociedade
DeutschGesellschaft
Italianosocietà
Ελληνικάκοινωνία koinonía
Românăsocietate, mediu
Русскийнаро́д naród
العربيةاِجْتِمَاعِيَّة ijtimāʕiyya

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Cite this
MLA

"society." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/society. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

society. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/society

Chicago

"society." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/society.

BibTeX
@misc{society_2026,
  title = {society},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/society},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}