A society is a self-reproducing grouping of individuals occupying a particular territory, which may have its own distinctive culture and institutions. As culture is generally considered unique to humans, the terms "society" and "human society" have the same meaning. "Society," may refer to a particular people, such as the Nuer, to a nation state, such as Austria, or to a broader cultural group, such as Western society.

Origin and usage

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The English word society emerged in the 15th century and is derived from the French société. The French word, in turn, had its origin in the Latin societas, a "friendly association with others," from socius meaning "companion, associate, comrade or business partner." Thus the meaning of society is closely related to what is considered to be social. Implicit in the meaning of society is that its members share some mutual concern or interest, a common objective or common characteristics. As such, society is often used to mean the collective citizenry of a country as directed through national institutions concerned with civic welfare.

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The Talk of the Town

Sheelah Kolhatkar: Martha Slept Here
Sheelah Kolhatkar Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0000
Carter Glatt, a sixteen-year-old junior at the Horace Mann School, is lanky, with black hair and long eyelashes. He loves to play sports, especially football and tennis. He speaks in a slightly stiff, respectful manner that suggests that he’s used to conversing with adults. He carries . . .
Nick Paumgarten: Out to Lunch
Nick Paumgarten Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0000
The week before last, two Northwest pilots overshot Minneapolis, their destination, by a hundred and fifty miles, apparently oblivious of their instruments and their internal clocks, as well as of a barrage of increasingly desperate radio calls from air-traffic control. Afterward, they explained that they’d logged onto . . .
James Surowiecki: Priced to Go
James Surowiecki Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0000
In the spring of 1992, the airline industry was in dismal shape, debilitated by the recently ended recession and an overreliance on discounting. So American Airlines announced a new “value pricing” plan, which entailed cutting fares while replacing complex discounts with a simple, four-tier price system. It . . .

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