society
/səˈsaɪ.ə.ti/ IELTSAcademic
noun
People in general, or people living together in an organized community. It can also mean the group of people in a country with shared rules, values, and institutions.
- Modern society is changing quickly.
- We must protect vulnerable people in society.
- She wants to study society and its values.
Adinary Nuance
Society is broader than community. A community is usually a smaller group with closer ties, while society means people in general or a large organized group. It is also more formal than everyday words like 'people' or 'public'.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- xã hội
- Spanish
- sociedad
- Chinese
- 社会
- Japanese
- 社会
- Korean
- 사회
Etymology
Society came into English from Old French in the 14th century, from Latin societas, meaning 'fellowship' or 'association'. The word has kept the idea of people living or acting together.
Common phrases
modern societysociety as a wholehigh societycivil society
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is society singular or plural?
- Society is usually a singular noun. Use 'societies' for more than one society.
- What is the difference between society and community?
- Society is bigger and more general. Community is smaller and usually has closer connections.
- Is society formal or informal?
- Society is fairly formal and common in academic writing, news, and discussion.
- Can I use society for one country?
- Yes. People often say 'Indian society' or 'British society' to mean life and values in that country.