# society

/səˈsaɪəti/ (US) · /səsˈaɪəti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/society
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. people in general

noun · CEFR A2

all the people living together in a country or community, and the way they live.

For teachers: the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community; the collective body of citizens.

- Modern society relies heavily on technology for communication and work.
- The study examines how modern society adapts to rapid technological shifts while attempting to maintain traditional cultural values.

Usage: Often used without an article when referring to the general concept of people living together.

### 2. an organization

noun · CEFR B1

a group of people who join together because they share a particular interest or aim.

For teachers: an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.

- She joined the university's debating society to improve her public speaking.
- The historical society maintains a comprehensive archive of local documents dating back to the town's founding in the eighteenth century.

### 3. high society

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the group of people in a community who are very rich, powerful, or famous.

For teachers: the aggregate of fashionable and wealthy people who form a distinct class in a community.

- The wedding was the biggest event of the year for local society.
- The novel provides a biting critique of high society, exposing the superficiality and rigid hierarchies of the urban elite.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this sense is often used with 'high' or 'polite' to specify the social class.

### 4. companionship

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

the state of being with other people rather than being alone.

For teachers: the state of being in the company of others; companionship or social interaction.

- He lived alone for many years and rarely sought the society of others.
- After months of isolation in the wilderness, the explorer found himself longing for the society of his fellow humans.

## Examples

- We live in a modern society.
- Every member of society has a responsibility to follow the laws that keep the community safe.
- The transition from an agrarian to an industrial society fundamentally altered the legal frameworks governing labor and property rights across the continent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.