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social - 6 dictionary results

so⋅cial

  [soh-shuhl]
Use social in a Sentence
–adjective
1. pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations: a social club.
2. seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
3. of, pertaining to, connected with, or suited to polite or fashionable society: a social event.
4. living or disposed to live in companionship with others or in a community, rather than in isolation: People are social beings.
5. of or pertaining to human society, esp. as a body divided into classes according to status: social rank.
6. involved in many social activities: We're so busy working, we have to be a little less social now.
7. of or pertaining to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community: social problems.
8. noting or pertaining to activities designed to remedy or alleviate certain unfavorable conditions of life in a community, esp. among the poor.
9. pertaining to or advocating socialism.
10. Zoology. living habitually together in communities, as bees or ants. Compare solitary (def. 8).
11. Botany. growing in patches or clumps.
12. Rare. occurring or taking place between allies or confederates.
–noun
13. a social gathering or party, esp. of or as given by an organized group: a church social.
Origin:
1555–65; < L sociālis, equiv. to soci(us) partner, comrade + -ālis -al 1

Related forms:
so⋅cial⋅ly, adverb
so⋅cial⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To social
so·cial   (sō'shəl)   
adj.  
    1. Living together in communities.
    2. Of or relating to communal living.
    3. Of or relating to human society and its modes of organization: social classes; social problems; a social issue.
    4. Inclined to seek out or enjoy the company of others; sociable.
    5. Spent in or marked by friendly relations or companionship.
    6. Intended for convivial activities.
  2. Living together in organized groups or similar close aggregates: Ants are social insects.
  3. Involving allies or members of a confederacy.
  4. Of or relating to the upper classes.
    1. Inclined to seek out or enjoy the company of others; sociable.
    2. Spent in or marked by friendly relations or companionship.
    3. Intended for convivial activities.
  6. Of, relating to, or occupied with matters affecting human welfare: social programs.
n.  An informal social gathering, as of the members of a church congregation.

[Middle English sociale, domestic, from Old French social, from Latin sociālis, of companionship, from socius, companion; see sekw-1 in Indo-European roots.]
so'cial·ly adv.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean inclined to, marked by, or passed in friendly companionship with others: a friendly social gathering; a companionable pet; a cheery, convivial disposition; a gregarious person who avoids solitude; a sociable conversation.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Social

So"cial\, a. [L. socialis, from socius a companion; akin to sequi to follow: cf. F. social. See Sue to follow.]

1. Of or pertaining to society; relating to men living in society, or to the public as an aggregate body; as, social interest or concerns; social pleasure; social benefits; social happiness; social duties. "Social phenomena." --J. S. Mill.

2. Ready or disposed to mix in friendly converse; companionable; sociable; as, a social person.

3. Consisting in union or mutual intercourse.

Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not Social communication. --Milton.

4. (Bot.) Naturally growing in groups or masses; -- said of many individual plants of the same species.

5. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Living in communities consisting of males, females, and neuters, as do ants and most bees. (b) Forming compound groups or colonies by budding from basal processes or stolons; as, the social ascidians.

Social science, the science of all that relates to the social condition, the relations and institutions which are involved in man's existence and his well-being as a member of an organized community; sociology. It concerns itself with questions of the public health, education, labor, punishment of crime, reformation of criminals, and the like.

Social whale (Zo["o]l.), the blackfish.

The social evil, prostitution.

Syn: Sociable; companionable; conversible; friendly; familiar; communicative; convival; festive.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : social
Spanish: social,
German: sozial,
Japanese: 社会的な
More Translations »

social  (adj.)
1505 (implied in socially), "characterized by friendliness or geniality," also "allied, associated," from M.Fr. social (14c.), from L. socialis "united, living with others," from socius "companion," probably originally "follower," and related to sequi "to follow" (cf. O.E. secg, O.N. seggr "companion," which seem to have been formed on the same notion; see sequel). Meaning "living or liking to live with others, disposed to friendly intercourse" is attested from 1729. Meaning "pertaining to society as a natural condition of human life" first attested 1695, in Locke. Social climber is from 1926; social work is 1890; social worker 1904. Social drink(ing) first attested 1976. Social studies as an inclusive term for history, geography, economics, etc., is attested from 1938. Social security "system of state support for needy citizens" is attested from 1908.

social  (n.)
"friendly gathering," 1870, from social (adj.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: so·cial
Pronunciation: 'sO-sh&l
Function: adjective
1 a : tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships withothers of one's kind b : living and breeding in more or less organized communities <social insects>
2 : of or relating to human society, theinteraction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society social behavior> —so·cial·ly /-E/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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