social structure

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

social structure - the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships; "the social organization of England and America is very different"; "sociologists have studied the changing structure of the family" social organisation, social organization, social system, structure society - an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization feudal system, feudalism - the social system that developed in Europe in the 8th century; vassals were protected by lords who they had to serve in war patriarchy, patriarchate - a form of social organization in which a male is the family head and title is traced through the male line matriarchate, matriarchy - a form of social organization in which a female is the family head and title is traced through the female line meritocracy - a form of social system in which power goes to those with superior intellects pluralism - a social organization in which diversity of racial or religious or ethnic or cultural groups is tolerated form of government, political system - the members of a social organization who are in power class structure - the organization of classes within a society separatism, segregation - a social system that provides separate facilities for minority groups system, scheme - a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole; "a vast system of production and distribution and consumption keep the country going"