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social structure

[ soh-shuhl struhk-cher ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

Sociology.
1. the system or complex of beliefs held by members of a social group.
2. the system of relations between the constituent groups of a society.
3. the relationship between or the interrelated arrangement of the social institutions of a society or culture, as of mores, marriage customs, or family.
4. the pattern of relationships, as of status or friendship, existing among the members of a group or society.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of social structure¹

First recorded in 1825–35

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“It could also be, as is the case with the honeybee, that we seem to share their social structure in certain ways.”

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African elephants typically live to be 60 to 70 years old in the wild, thanks in part to the survival advantages they obtain through their protective family social structures.

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When power is embedded in social structures, no matter what changes happen within, the framework of oppression remains.

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“Apes have a wide variety of social structures and dynamics.”

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"These intelligent and socially intricate animals, with a capacity for complex thoughts and emotions, endure profound suffering in captivity, as their natural social structures cannot be replicated artificially," the charity said.

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Related Words

social stratification social studies

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social structure

noun

Word History and Origins

Example Sentences

Related Words