sorority

IPA/səˈrɒrəti/
KK[sɚˈɔrəti]IPA/səˈrɔːrəti/

sorority — noun

  • sororitysingular
  • sororitiesplural

1. a private social club found on certain US university campuses, where women stude

1.nounB1
Definition

a private social club found on certain US university campuses, where women students do activities, volunteer work, and social events together, and often live in the same building

Example

Maja decided to join the Alpha Omega sorority during her first year at college.

join + [name of] sorority

The sorority house on Elm Street has a front porch where members gather to study.

collocation: sorority house

Common collocations
  • sorority house
  • sorority sister
  • join a sorority
  • pledge a sorority
  • rush a sorority
  • sorority member
  • sorority recruitment
  • sorority president
Synonyms
  • women's society

    the more general term used outside the US; less tied to residential college culture

  • women's club

    broader in meaning; can refer to non-student social clubs as well

  • female fraternity

    literal but very rare; sometimes used historically or in non-US contexts

Antonyms
  • fraternity

    the male-only equivalent organisation at US colleges

Usage Note

Almost exclusively used in the context of US colleges and universities. The equivalent organisation in other English-speaking countries goes by different names (e.g. 'women's society' in the UK).

Common Mistakes

She joined a sorority at a university in Taiwan.
She joined a student club at a university in Taiwan.
The term sorority is specific to US (and some Canadian) college culture and is not used for general student clubs elsewhere.
He is in a sorority.
She is in a sorority.
Sororities are women-only organisations. The male equivalent is a fraternity.

Word family

  • sororal
    adjectiveC2
  • soror
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sorority and fraternity are specific to US and Canadian college culture. A sorority is exclusively for women, while a fraternity is its male counterpart — both are residential social organisations with Greek-letter names. 'Women's society' is a broader, less culture-specific term that could describe any formal group of women (professional, charitable, or social) and does not imply a residential house or Greek-letter identity. 'Student club' is the most general term, covering any interest-based group at an educational institution, with no gender restriction, residential component, or recruitment ritual. For example: 'Maja pledged a sorority at USC' conveys membership in a specific, selective Greek organisation, whereas 'Maja joined a student club' could mean the photography or debate society.

sorority ↗fraternity ↗women's societystudent club

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sorority house
  • sorority sister
  • sorority member
  • sorority president
  • sorority recruitment

Phrases

  • join a sorority
  • pledge a sorority
  • rush a sorority
  • be in a sorority

Prepositions

  • in a sorority
  • into a sorority

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Borrowed from the Latin 'sororitās' (sisterhood), from 'soror' (sister). The word entered English in the late 15th century meaning 'a society of women' or 'a sisterhood'. Its modern use for a women's college social club became common in the late 19th century at US universities, modelled on the earlier 'fraternity' (from Latin 'frater' — brother) for male student organisations.