Social

The definition of social depends on the context, but it generally revolves around relationships, community, and interaction.

The main definitions of "social" are:

• Relating to Society: Pertaining to human society and its organization, institutions, welfare, and members.
  Example: Social issues, social change, social classes.
• Relating to Interaction: Pertaining to the interaction, companionship, and friendly relations between people.
  Example: A busy social life, having good social skills, a social gathering.
• Liking Company (Sociable): Describes a person who is friendly and naturally seeks or enjoys the company of others.
  Example: She's a very social person.
• Living in Groups: Used in biology to describe organisms (like humans, wolves, ants) that live in organized communities or groups, rather than alone.
  Example: Ants are social insects.

In a Sociological/Academic Context

In the social sciences, the term "social" expands to encompass the entirety of human existence that is influenced by interaction and collective life.

• Human Interaction: Something is social if it involves the actions, behavior, or processes that are influenced by the presence of others, whether on a large scale (like language or culture) or a small scale (like a conversation).
• The Collective: It refers to the realm of the group or collective (the "we"), as distinguished from the individual (the "I"). Sociologists study how people form groups, how those groups are structured, and the relationships within them.
• Social Context/Environment: This refers to the immediate or general social setting (culture, institutions, relationships, environment) that provides a framework and influences an individual's behavior and development.

Etymology

The word "social" comes from the Latin word socius, which means "companion, ally, or friend." This root highlights the core concept of association and companionship that underlies all meanings of the word.