/ səˈsaɪəti; NAmE / noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
[ U ] people in general, living together in communities :
policies that will benefit society as a whole
Racism exists at all levels of society.
They carried out research into the roles of men and women in today's society
2.
[ C , U ] a particular community of people who share the same customs, laws, etc. :
modern industrial societies
demand created by a consumer society
Can Britain ever be a classless society?
They were discussing the problems of Western society.
3.
[ C ] ( abbr. Soc. ) (especially in names) a group of people who join together for a particular purpose :
a member of the drama society
the American Society of Newspaper Editors
—see also building society , friendly society
4.
[ U ] the group of people in a country who are fashionable, rich and powerful :
Their daughter married into high society .
a society wedding
5.
[ U ] ( formal ) the state of being with other people
SYN company :
He was a solitary man who avoided the society of others.
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense companionship, friendly association with others ): from French société , from Latin societas , from socius companion.