Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Society (association)
(5,559 words)

1. Definition and history of scholarship

The word “society” is first attested in English in the 1530s, in the sense of companionship and amicable association (Sociability). It derives, via the Old French societé (company), from the Latin societas (fellowship, association, community). The sense of a formally organized group constituted for some specific purpose …

Cite this page
Gierl, Martin, “Society (association)”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 01 December 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_029524>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180208



▲   Back to top   ▲