Social describes anything involving people interacting with each other or relating to human society and its organization. When you hang out with friends at recess, attend a birthday party, or chat with classmates before school starts, you're being social. Animals can be social too: wolves live in packs, dolphins swim in pods, and ants build colonies where thousands work together.

The opposite of social is solitary, meaning alone. Some activities are social (playing soccer on a team), while others are solitary (reading a book by yourself). Most people need both: time with others and time alone.

Social skills are the abilities that help you get along with people, like knowing when to listen, how to share, or how to join a conversation without interrupting. Someone described as social usually enjoys being around others and makes friends easily. A social butterfly flits from person to person at a party, talking with everyone.

The word also describes big systems in society. Social studies examines how people live together in communities and nations. Social media are websites and apps where people connect online. When people talk about social issues, they mean problems affecting many people in a community, like poverty or education.