Word family noun society sociologist sociology sociability social socialism socialist socialite socialization sociopath adjective sociable ≠ unsociable social ≠ anti-social unsocial socialist socialistic societal sociological sociopathic verb socialize adverb socially sociably sociologically
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsocietyso‧ci‧e‧ty /səˈsaɪəti/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural societies) 1 people in general [uncountable]SOCIETY people in general, considered in relation to the laws, organizations etc that make it possible for them to live together technology and its effects on modern society Children are the most vulnerable members of society.2 a particular group [countable, uncountable]SSSOCIETY a particular large group of people who share laws, organizations, customs etc Britain is now a multiracial society. the capitalist societies of the West the conservative segment of American society3 club [countable]SSO an organization or club with members who share similar interests, aims etc the university film society the American Cancer Societysociety of the Society of Black Lawyers► see thesaurus at organization4 upper class [uncountable]CLASS IN SOCIETY the fashionable group of people who are rich and powerful a society weddinghigh society (=the richest, most fashionable etc people)5 being with people [uncountable] formalSOCIALIZE when you are together with other peoplesociety of Holidays are a time to enjoy the society of your family.6 → polite society → building society, friendly societyCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a particular large group of people who share laws, organizations, customs etcadjectivesa free societyCensorship has no place in a free society.a civilized societyA civilized society should treat its elderly members well.a civil society (=a society based on laws that everyone accepts)The protection of human rights is essential for a civil society.a multicultural/multiracial societyWe live in a multicultural society.a democratic societyEducation is important in a democratic society.an advanced/modern societyThe Greeks formed the first advanced societies in the West.This kind of hatred and violence have no place in a modern society like ours.an industrial societyIn complex industrial societies, different groups specialize in particular activities.a primitive societyIn almost all primitive societies, volcanoes have been regarded with fear.a just societyWe are making progress towards a just society.a classless society (=one in which people are not divided into different social classes)the prime minister’s vision of a classless societya capitalist societyAs consumers in a capitalist society, we can press companies to behave responsibly.the larger/wider society (=used when comparing a small group of people to society as a whole)The poor are part of the larger society, and programs must be there to help them. Examples from the Corpus
society• We live in a society that values hard work.• recent changes in American society• Having already displayed a contempt for civilized society, he or she can not be considered a part of it.• He joined the university film society as a way of making friends.• the president of the American Historical Society• Islamic society• Nevertheless we are committed to a meritocratic society.• the National Society of Public Accountants• We want our students to become useful and responsible members of society.• Children are the most vulnerable members of society.• His death has triggered questions over whether a larger section of society than initially thought may be vulnerable to the disease.• Prisons are meant to protect society from criminals.• In Protestant society such conflicts certainly exist, but they take place in private.• the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds• We will soon be unable to enjoy the society of our dearest friends.• They will continue to promote the integration of migrant workers in the societies in which they are lawfully residing.• The judge described Smith as 'a danger to society'.• Give him an unknown society, any society, and he wanted in.members of society• Few attempts to change public perceptions are achieved easily, nor can they be performed by all members of society.• Classes did not exist since all members of society shared the same relationship to the means of production.• This means that relationships between members of society are organized in terms of rules.• It blinds members of society to the contradictions and conflicts of interest which are built into their relationships.• But women were commonly considered not full members of society.• The norms of domestic life it set forth drew a clear ideological boundary between rational members of society and the feckless.• The evidence also showed that the Amish have an excellent record as law-abiding and generally self-sufficient members of society...• Consequently these questions have rarely been put to younger members of society.segment of ... society• There is no free lunch for any segment of society.• Those who were the clones of the more conservative segment of our society seemed to have an advantage.• To make advanced computing and communications information infrastructure available to-and usable by-a larger segment of the society.• It is this convergence of class, gender, and race that makes a sweeping attack on one segment of society possible.• It allows us to more easily justify restrictions on this segment of society now branded with an anti-social label.• Shifting tides have subsequently resulted in conflict among various segments of Arab society, none more potent than the struggle of women.high society• There was no doubt that he could write well about high society, but the market for that sort of thing was dwindling.• He reckoned he'd fit much better into Hollywood and high society.• Torn between high society and the life of the workers on the estate, she makes many mistakes before seeing the truth.• And the few people he mixed with in high society turned their backs on him.• My first venture into high society.• Before long, Brighton was a centre of high society second only to London.• The brothers intend to show that they will not conform to the practices and hypocrisies of high society.• Although personally modest, Astaire pushed off from a world of high society.From Longman Business Dictionarysocietyso‧ci‧e‧ty /səˈsaɪəti/ noun (plural societies)1[uncountable] people in general, considered in relation to the structure of laws, organizations etc that make it possible for them to live togetherSociety may decide that it dislikes monopoly profits, purely on the grounds of equity.2[countable, uncountable] a particular large group of people who share laws, organizations, customs etcWe have grown up in a materialistic, capitalist society.3[countable]ORGANIZATIONS a professional organization or club with members who share similar aims and intereststhe American Society for Training and Development → co-operative society → credit society → friendly society → provident society → see also building society, classification societyOrigin society (1500-1600) French société, from Latin societas, from socius; → SOCIAL1 