an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
"Archaeologists study ancient pottery to understand how society functioned in that prehistoric civilization."
the state of being with someone
"he missed their company"
"he enjoyed the society of his friends"
the fashionable elite
"The new art gallery was designed specifically to appeal to society, featuring minimalist decor and exclusive after-hours events for the city's most influential families."
A long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms.
"The museum exhibition highlighted how ancient Egyptian society expressed its values through intricate hieroglyphics and distinctive burial customs."
In plain English: Society is all the people living together in an organized community who share rules and customs.
"Our local society holds a monthly meeting at the community center."
Usage: Use this sense to refer to an entire civilization or community with shared customs rather than a specific social club or organization. It is often paired with words like "high," "upper," or "civil" (e.g., high society) to denote exclusive groups, whereas the general population should be described using terms like "society at large."
The word society entered English in the 1530s, borrowed from French and ultimately derived from Latin for "fellowship" or "association." Its roots trace back to a Proto-Indo-European term meaning "companion," which originally described someone who follows another.