sorority
n. countablen. a social club for female students at a college or university. Members often live together in a large house and call each other sisters.
n. a social organization for female students at a North American college or university. Often characterized by a Greek-letter name and a focus on social, academic, or philanthropic activities.
She decided to join a sorority during her first year of college.
The sorority organized a charity run to raise money for the local children's hospital.
While some critics argue that the sorority system encourages social exclusion, many members credit these organizations with providing lifelong professional networks and a sense of community on large campuses.
PIE word *swésōr From Renaissance Latin sorōritās, from Latin soror (“sister”), from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr. Akin to Spanish sororidad, Portuguese sororidade, French sororité.
Primarily used in the context of North American higher education; the male equivalent is a fraternity.