ENGLISH
REFERENCE

social

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈsoʊʃəɫ// UK //sˈəʊʃəl// so·cial Archaic General-service Informal

n. a party or an informal gathering where people meet to have fun. It can also be a short way to talk about social media accounts.

n. an informal gathering or party organised by a club or group. In contemporary digital contexts, it functions as a clipped form of 'social media account' or 'social media presence'.


SIMPLE

The office is having a social this Friday evening.

CONTEXTUAL

The university hiking club organises a monthly social to help new members get to know each other.

COMPLEX

While the department's annual social remains a staple of the calendar, many younger employees prefer to engage through the company's internal socials rather than attending in person.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle French social, from Latin sociālis (“of or belonging to a companion or companionship or association, social”), from socius (“a companion, fellow, partner, associate, ally”), from sequor (“follow”). Cognate with English seg (“man, companion, fellow”). More at seg.

Usage

Commonly used in the plural ('socials') when referring to digital platforms or social media handles.

Idioms3 entries

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