English
social
Social comes from Middle French social, from Latin sociālis ‘of or belonging to a companion or association’, from socius ‘a companion’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷyós‘follower, companion’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sokjos‘companion’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEsokios
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsocius‘a companion’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsociālis‘of or belonging to a companion or association, social’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600social‘allied’
- Englishearliest quotation 1851same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷyós‘follower, companion’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sokjos‘companion’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEsokios
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsocius‘a companion’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsociālis‘of or belonging to a companion or association, social’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600social‘allied’
- Englishearliest quotation 1851same form
Earliest quotation: 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick: “Not ignoring what is good, I am quick to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’
see, say, second, saw, executive, suit, sight, subsequent, sequence, pursue, sue, consecutive, prosecution, sequel, execute, consequently, saga, persecution, sect, intrinsic, consequent, executor, sequential, sequestration, ensue, persecute, extrinsic, segue, sequester, seg, sequitur, 34 more
through Latin socius ‘a companion, fellow, partner, associate, ally’
society, associate, sociology, dissociation, dissociate, 10 more
Today it means
adj Being extroverted or outgoing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / social