society means A long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms.
society is pronounced /səˈsaɪ.ə.ti/.
Why “society” is a great word
An organized group of people sharing a common culture, territory, and institutions, or a formal association of individuals with a shared purpose. From the Latin societās, societātem ("fellowship, association, community"), from socius ("companion, ally"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ("to follow"). First attested in English in the 1530s. Unlike “community,” which implies a smaller, more personally connected group, or “association,” a formal organization for a specific end, society is the vast and impersonal fabric itself. It is the unspoken contract in a crowded street, the accumulated weight of centuries in a handshake, and the silent apparatus that transforms private ambition into public order—the lonely grandeur of human beings having chosen to follow one another into something too vast to fully comprehend.
Etymology
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
- A long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms.e.g.“This society has been known for centuries for its colorful clothing and tight-knit family structure.”
- A group of people who meet from time to time to engage in a common interest; an association or organization.e.g.“It was then that they decided to found a society of didgeridoo-playing unicyclists.”
- The sum total of all voluntary interrelations between individuals.e.g.“The gap between Western and Eastern societies seems to be narrowing.”
- Companionship or association with one's fellows; friendly or intimate intercourse.e.g.“The society of friends is one of life's great joys.”
- The people of one’s country or community taken as a whole.e.g.“Our global society develops in fits and starts.”
- High society.e.g.“Smith was first introduced into society at the Duchess of Grand Fenwick's annual rose garden party.”
- A number of people joined by mutual consent to deliberate, determine and act toward a common goal.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.