Status is your position or standing in a group, organization, or society. When teachers check your status as a student, they're looking at whether you're enrolled, passing your classes, and following the rules. When you check the status of a package delivery, you're finding out where it is in the process of getting to you.

The word often describes social position too. Someone with high status in their community might be respected for their achievements, experience, or role. A doctor has professional status because of their training and responsibility. A team captain has status among their teammates because of their leadership role.

People sometimes pursue status symbols, things that show off their position or success, like expensive cars or fancy titles.

In biology and other fields, status simply means the current state of something. Scientists might describe the status of an endangered species, or doctors might check a patient's status after surgery.

Related words include prestige (respect earned through achievement) and rank (official position in a hierarchy). Unlike these, status can be either formal or informal: you might have official status as class president, or unofficial status as the person everyone asks for homework help.