different between society vs guild

English

Alternative forms

• soc. (abbreviation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French societé , from Latin societ?s, societ?tem (“fellowship, association, alliance, union, community”), from socius (“associated, allied; partner, companion, ally”), from Proto-Indo-European *sok?-yo- (“companion”), from Proto-Indo-European *sek?- (“to follow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s??sa?.?.ti/

Noun

society (countable and uncountable, plural societies)

1. (countable) A long-standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic forms.
2. (countable) A group of people who meet from time to time to engage in a common interest; an association or organization.

   • At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors. […] In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.

3. (countable) The sum total of all voluntary interrelations between individuals.
4. (uncountable) The people of one’s country or community taken as a whole.
5. (uncountable) High society.
6. (countable, law) A number of people joined by mutual consent to deliberate, determine and act toward a common goal.

Derived terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• "society" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 291.

English

Alternative forms

• gild

Etymology

From Middle English gilde, from Old Norse gildi (“payment, guild”). Related to geld, yield, yauld.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??ld/
• Rhymes: -?ld
• Homophones: gild, gilled

Noun

guild (plural guilds)

1. A group or association mainly of tradespeople made up of merchants, craftspeople, or artisans for mutual aid, particularly in the Middle Ages.
2. A corporation.
3. (ecology) A group of diverse species that share common characteristics or habits.
4. (video games) An organized group of players who regularly play together in a multiplayer game.

Synonyms

• (medieval professional associations): Hanse (merchants)
• (modern professional associations): trade union, union, professional association

Translations

See also

• (meeting place): guild hall, guildhall, guildsman, guildswoman, common house, common hall

References

• The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000, Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009
• Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, HarperCollins Publishers, 2003