society

so|ci|e|ty [ sə`saıəti ] noun ***

1. ) uncount people in general living together in organized communities, with laws and traditions controlling the way they behave toward one another:

Society has to be prepared to support its elderly people.

The scheme aims to encourage the reintegration of prisoners into society.

a ) count the people who live in a particular country or area, or who belong to a particular time:

The protesters were drawn from a broad cross-section of society.

Good writing still has a place in contemporary society.

The novels reflect the values of Victorian society.

b ) count or uncount a particular type or section of society:

The question is whether we have sufficient resources to sustain an industrial society.

Never forget that we live in a multicultural society.

polite society (=people who behave and speak politely): The picture outraged polite society.

affluent society (=a society in which many people are rich): In today's affluent society people are becoming increasingly discontented.

c ) uncount the group of people in a country who are rich and fashionable or from a high social class:

high society: She moved in high society and had many aristocratic friends.

d ) only before noun relating to the parties, weddings, performances, etc. that rich and fashionable people go to:

This is going to be the biggest society wedding of the year.

2. ) count an organization or club for people who have a particular interest or take part in a particular activity:

She joined the local history society and made some new friends.

3. ) uncount MAINLY LITERARY the company or friendship of other people