I. ˈsōshəl adjective
Etymology: Latin socialis, from socius companion, ally, associate + -alis -al; akin to Old English secg man, follower, companion, Old Saxon segg, Old Norse seggr man, messenger, companion, Greek aossein to help, stand by, Sanskrit sakha companion, friend, Latin sequi to follow — more at sue
1. : involving allies or confederates
the Social War between the Athenians and their allies
2.
a. : marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with one's friends or associates
leads a very full social life
spent a relaxed social evening
: taken, enjoyed, or engaged in with friends or for the sake of companionship
social drinking
a social game of bridge
b. : sociable
difficult for him, although fundamentally a social character, to take any great pleasure in the company — Osbert Lancaster
having to drive home, and not feeling very social , I drank very little — Nigel Balchin
c. : composed of sociable persons or formed for the purpose of sociability
a purely social club
d. : of, relating to, or designed for sociability or sociable gatherings
the social director of the hotel
the church has a large social hall
3.
a. : forming or having a tendency to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with one's fellows : gregarious
man is a social creature … one of the aims of education, therefore, is to teach man how to adjust himself to community living — M.B.Smith
b. : living together and breeding in more or less organized communities
social insects are less individuals than standardized, interchangeable units — Ralph Linton
c. of a plant : present in large numbers wherever present at all in nature : tending to grow in groups or masses so as to form a more or less pure stand — used especially of forest trees
4.
a. : of or relating to human society
social institutions
the social implications of scientific progress
: of or relating to the interaction of the individual and the group
immature social behavior
b. : of, relating to, or concerned with the welfare of human beings as members of society
social legislation
the social question
c. Roman, civil, & Scots law : of or relating to an association, partnership, or corporation
5.
a. : of, relating to, or based on rank or status in a particular society or community
move in different social circles
did not accept him as their social equal
a member of his social set
b. : of, belonging to, or characteristic of the upper classes
a reactionary, solid, stuffy, and social — Rosemary Benét
made fun of her being so social and high-tone — Lillian Hellman
writes a column of social gossip
c. : formal
asked in a social voice, very deliberately, if she'd wakened me last night when she came in — Crary Moore
Synonyms:
gregarious , cooperative , convivial , companionable , hospitable : social now often indicates having to do with society in general as an interdependent group or as a phenomenon for study
the desire for removing human error, clearing human confusion, and diminishing human misery … — motives eminently such as are called social — Matthew Arnold
the social order
plans for social reorganization
In its older senses, still quite current, it describes easy pleasant conversational companionship with others conducted on the basis of friendship and equality and enjoyed for its own sake, without ulterior motive
if at times everyone is talking at once it is evidently because of the social desire to contribute to the conversation, rather than because of the unsocial disposition to neglect one's neighbor's appreciation — W.C.Brownell
of a jovial, social disposition, with a host of friends — Allan Westcott
gregarious indicates tending to flock together with others of one's kind and disliking a solitary existence: it may or may not connote enjoyable sociability
renounced a life of solitude, and became a gregarious creature — William Cowper
without intelligence, man is not social, he is only gregarious — Samuel Johnson
as popular with the seeker after solitude as with the noisily gregarious — S.P.B.Mais
the true Nevadan is gregarious, as his passion for clubs and other social circles indicates — American Guide Series: Nevada
cooperative indicates a willingness to work with others for a common end, subordinating immediate personal interests and wishes, and may suggest an attitude conducive to good morale throughout a group
the cooperative efforts of all the allies
while the development of armor called forth the skill of the smith, the multiplication of cannon demanded cooperative manufacture on a much larger scale — Lewis Mumford
the cohesive, cooperative nature of American life as opposed to selfish individualism — Bradford Smith
convivial suggests jovial or merry enjoyment of other's company, particularly in situations in which eating or drinking is involved
all the social and convivial joy and festivity that become youth — Earl of Chesterfield
at the insistence of a convivial uncle and against her better inclination she permits herself to drink three glasses of champagne — Edmund Wilson
companionable suggests a ready affability and warm sympathy that make association easy and pleasant
blessed with a companionable roommate
the trip was the more pleasant because our associates were companionable
hospitable indicates a disposition to greet guests and visitors openly, generously, and warmly
with a few rare exceptions which may arise from sheer lack of time to welcome all newcomers, Arizonans are warmhearted and hospitable — American Guide Series: Arizona
II. noun
( -s )
: sociable 2