Society Comes From the Word for Companion
Society is people living together, and also an organised association. The Latin root means a companion or ally.
Society is people living together in an organised community, and also a formal association of members. The Latin *socius* means a companion or ally, which is why *social*, *associate* and *sociable* all belong to the same family. A society, in either sense, is people keeping company.
- People living together. *Modern society.*
- An organised association. *A historical society.*
- Fashionable people. *High society.*
- Companionship (formal). *I enjoy her society.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | society | Civil society. |
| Plural | societies | Learned societies. |
| Adjective | social | Social change. |
| Noun | sociology | A sociology degree. |
| Related | associate | A close associate. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Society has changed since the 1950s.Uncountable, general.
- He joined the local history society.An organisation.
- Civil society groups objected.Organisations outside government and business.
Kinds of society
- Civil society — voluntary organisations outside state and market
- Learned society — an academic body such as the Royal Society
- Building society — a British mutual savings and mortgage institution
- Friendly society — a mutual insurance association
- High society — the wealthy and fashionable
From Latin *societas*, fellowship, from *socius*, companion. The same root gives *social*, *sociable*, *associate* and *sociology*, coined in the nineteenth century.
What is a building society?
A British mutual institution owned by its members that provides mortgages and savings accounts. Many converted into banks in the 1990s.
Society or community?
Society is the whole social order. A community is a smaller group with something in common, often a place.