social
♦♦♦ so|cial /s'oʊʃəl/
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to society or to the way society is organized.
...the worst effects of unemployment, low pay and other social problems.
...long-term social change.
...changing social attitudes.
...the tightly woven social fabric of small towns.
...research into housing and social policy.
● socially [ADV] ADV adj/-ed
Let's face it-drinking is a socially acceptable habit.
...one of the most socially deprived areas in Britain.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to the status or rank that someone has in society.
Higher education is unequally distributed across social classes...
The guests came from all social backgrounds...
● socially [ADV] usu ADV adj/-ed, also ADV with cl
For socially ambitious couples this is a problem.
...socially disadvantaged children...
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to leisure activities that involve meeting other people.
We ought to organize more social events...
● socially [ADV] usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl
We have known each other socially for a long time...
The two groups rarely meet socially...
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social animals live in groups and do things together.
...social insects like bees and ants.so|cial chap|ter
[N-SING] the N
The social chapter is an agreement between countries in the European Union concerning workers' rights and working conditions.so|cial climb|er (social climbers)
[N-COUNT]
You describe someone as a social climber when they try to get accepted into a higher social class by becoming friendly with people who belong to that class.
That Rous was a snob and a social climber could scarcely be denied.so|cial climb|ing
also social-climbing
[N-UNCOUNT]
You describe someone's behaviour as social climbing when they try to get accepted into a higher social class by becoming friendly with people who belong to that class.
All that vulgar social-climbing!
[ADJ] ADJ n
Social climbing is also an adjective.
...Leroy's ambitious social-climbing wife.so|cial club (social clubs)
[N-COUNT]
A social club is a club where members go in order to meet each other and enjoy leisure activities.so|cial de|moc|ra|cy (social democracies)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Social democracy is a political system according to which social justice and equality can be achieved within the framework of a market economy.
...western-style social democracy.
2 [N-COUNT]
A social democracy is a country where there is social democracy.so|cial demo|crat|ic
[ADJ] ADJ n
A social democratic party is a political party whose principles are based on social democracy.
...relations with the social democratic governments in Europe.so|cial ex|clu|sion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social exclusion is the act of making certain groups of people within a society feel isolated and unimportant.
...projects aimed at tackling unemployment and social exclusion.so|cial hous|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social housing is housing which is provided for rent or sale at a fairly low cost by organizations such as housing associations and local councils. (BRIT)so|cial in|clu|sion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social inclusion is the act of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important.
This will cost money, but if social inclusion is to succeed, it must be spent.so|cial life (social lives)
[N-COUNT] with supp, oft with poss
Your social life involves spending time with your friends, for example at parties or in pubs or bars.so|cial or|der (social orders)
[N-VAR]
The social order in a place is the way that society is organized there.
...the threat to social order posed by right-wing extremists.so|cial sci|ence (social sciences)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Social science is the scientific study of society.
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
The social sciences are the various types of social science, for example sociology and politics.so|cial sci|en|tist (social scientists)
[N-COUNT]
A social scientist is a person who studies or teaches social science.so|cial se|cu|rity
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social security is a system under which a government pays money regularly to certain groups of people, for example the sick, the unemployed, or those with no other income.
...women who did not have jobs and were on social security...so|cial ser|vices
[N-PLURAL]
The social services in a district are the services provided by the local authority or government to help people who have serious family problems or financial problems.
I have asked the social services for help, but they have not done anything.so|cial stud|ies
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
In Britain, social studies is a subject that is taught in schools and colleges, and includes sociology, politics, and economics.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
In the United States, social studies is a subject that is taught in schools, and that includes history, geography, sociology, and politics.so|cial work
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social work is work which involves giving help and advice to people with serious family problems or financial problems.so|cial work|er (social workers)
[N-COUNT]
A social worker is a person whose job is to do social work.
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to society or to the way society is organized.
...the worst effects of unemployment, low pay and other social problems.
...long-term social change.
...changing social attitudes.
...the tightly woven social fabric of small towns.
...research into housing and social policy.
● socially [ADV] ADV adj/-ed
Let's face it-drinking is a socially acceptable habit.
...one of the most socially deprived areas in Britain.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to the status or rank that someone has in society.
Higher education is unequally distributed across social classes...
The guests came from all social backgrounds...
● socially [ADV] usu ADV adj/-ed, also ADV with cl
For socially ambitious couples this is a problem.
...socially disadvantaged children...
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social means relating to leisure activities that involve meeting other people.
We ought to organize more social events...
● socially [ADV] usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl
We have known each other socially for a long time...
The two groups rarely meet socially...
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
Social animals live in groups and do things together.
...social insects like bees and ants.so|cial chap|ter
[N-SING] the N
The social chapter is an agreement between countries in the European Union concerning workers' rights and working conditions.so|cial climb|er (social climbers)
[N-COUNT]
You describe someone as a social climber when they try to get accepted into a higher social class by becoming friendly with people who belong to that class.
That Rous was a snob and a social climber could scarcely be denied.so|cial climb|ing
also social-climbing
[N-UNCOUNT]
You describe someone's behaviour as social climbing when they try to get accepted into a higher social class by becoming friendly with people who belong to that class.
All that vulgar social-climbing!
[ADJ] ADJ n
Social climbing is also an adjective.
...Leroy's ambitious social-climbing wife.so|cial club (social clubs)
[N-COUNT]
A social club is a club where members go in order to meet each other and enjoy leisure activities.so|cial de|moc|ra|cy (social democracies)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Social democracy is a political system according to which social justice and equality can be achieved within the framework of a market economy.
...western-style social democracy.
2 [N-COUNT]
A social democracy is a country where there is social democracy.so|cial demo|crat|ic
[ADJ] ADJ n
A social democratic party is a political party whose principles are based on social democracy.
...relations with the social democratic governments in Europe.so|cial ex|clu|sion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social exclusion is the act of making certain groups of people within a society feel isolated and unimportant.
...projects aimed at tackling unemployment and social exclusion.so|cial hous|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social housing is housing which is provided for rent or sale at a fairly low cost by organizations such as housing associations and local councils. (BRIT)so|cial in|clu|sion
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social inclusion is the act of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important.
This will cost money, but if social inclusion is to succeed, it must be spent.so|cial life (social lives)
[N-COUNT] with supp, oft with poss
Your social life involves spending time with your friends, for example at parties or in pubs or bars.so|cial or|der (social orders)
[N-VAR]
The social order in a place is the way that society is organized there.
...the threat to social order posed by right-wing extremists.so|cial sci|ence (social sciences)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Social science is the scientific study of society.
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
The social sciences are the various types of social science, for example sociology and politics.so|cial sci|en|tist (social scientists)
[N-COUNT]
A social scientist is a person who studies or teaches social science.so|cial se|cu|rity
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social security is a system under which a government pays money regularly to certain groups of people, for example the sick, the unemployed, or those with no other income.
...women who did not have jobs and were on social security...so|cial ser|vices
[N-PLURAL]
The social services in a district are the services provided by the local authority or government to help people who have serious family problems or financial problems.
I have asked the social services for help, but they have not done anything.so|cial stud|ies
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
In Britain, social studies is a subject that is taught in schools and colleges, and includes sociology, politics, and economics.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
In the United States, social studies is a subject that is taught in schools, and that includes history, geography, sociology, and politics.so|cial work
[N-UNCOUNT]
Social work is work which involves giving help and advice to people with serious family problems or financial problems.so|cial work|er (social workers)
[N-COUNT]
A social worker is a person whose job is to do social work.