social
pronunciation
How to pronounce social in British English:
UK [ˈsəʊʃl]
How to pronounce social in American English:
US [ˈsoʊʃl]
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- Noun:
- a party of people assembled to promote sociability and communal activity
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- Adjective:
- relating to human society and its members
- living together or enjoying life in communities or organized groups
- relating to or belonging to or characteristic of high society
- composed of sociable people or formed for the purpose of sociability
- (of birds and animals) tending to move or live together in groups or colonies of the same kind
- marked by friendly companionship with others
Word Origin
- social
- social: [16] Latin socius meant ‘companion, partner’. It came ultimately from the Indo- European base *seq- ‘follow’ (source of English sequel, sequence, etc). From it was derived the adjective sociālis, which has given English social (socialism was coined in the early 19th century). Other Latin derivatives have given English associate, sociable [16] and society [16]. Sociology [19] was borrowed from French sociologie, a term coined in 1830 by the philosopher Auguste Comte.=> associate, sequel, sequence, society, sue, suit
- social (adj.)
- late 15c., "devoted to or relating to home life;" 1560s as "living with others," from Middle French social (14c.) and directly from Latin socialis "of companionship, of allies; united, living with others; of marriage, conjugal," from socius "companion, ally," probably originally "follower," from PIE *sokw-yo-, suffixed form of root *sekw- (1) "to follow," and thus related to sequi "to follow" (see sequel). Compare Old English secg, Old Norse seggr "companion," which seem to have been formed on the same notion). Related: Socially. Sense of "characterized by friendliness or geniality" is from 1660s. Meaning "living or liking to live with others; companionable, disposed to friendly intercourse" is from 1720s. Meaning "of or pertaining to society as a natural condition of human life" first attested 1695, in Locke. Sense of "pertaining to fashionable society" is from 1873. Social climber is from 1893; social work is 1890; social worker 1886. Social drinking first attested 1807. Social studies as an inclusive term for history, geography, economics, etc., is attested from 1916. Social security "system of state support for needy citizens" is attested from 1907 (the Social Security Act was passed by U.S. Congress in 1935). Social butterfly is from 1867, in figurative reference to "flitting." Social contract (1763) is from translations of Rousseau. Social Darwinism attested from 1887. Social engineering attested from 1899. Social science is from 1785. In late 19c. newspapers, social evil is "prostitution." Social justice is attested by 1718; social network by 1971; social networking by 1984; social media by 2008.
- social (n.)
- "friendly gathering," 1870, from social (adj.). In late 17c. it meant "a companion, associate."
Example
- 1. There are some social forces .
- 2. Social problems seemed miles away .
- 3. He was a social scientist .
- 4. How important was social capital ?
- 5. Social unrest would likely follow .