sodality
/sou'dæliti/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A formal association or brotherhood, especially with a charitable, religious, or fraternal purpose: A sodality is an organized group of people united by a common bond, often for mutual support or to pursue shared spiritual or social goals. 2. A fellowship or community characterized by companionship and shared interests: It can refer more broadly to a feeling of close friendship and solidarity within a group.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The parish sodality organized regular visits to the elderly and sick in the community.
- There was a strong sense of sodality among the veterans who had served together.
- Medieval guilds often functioned as both trade associations and social sodalities.
Advanced Usage
- "Spiritual sodality": A specifically religious confraternity or pious association, common in the Catholic tradition.
- She joined a spiritual sodality dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
- The term often implies a more formal or structured bond than simple friendship, suggesting shared vows, rules, or regular meetings.
Variants and Related Words
- Sodalist (n): A member of a sodality.
- The sodalists met every Thursday for prayer and planning.
Synonyms
- Brotherhood: A close-knit group of men (or sometimes people in general) sharing a common interest or purpose.
- Fraternity: A group of people sharing a common profession or interests, or a male social organization.
- Confaternity: A brotherhood, especially a religious guild or brotherhood.
- Fellowship: A group of people sharing common interests, or the friendly feeling of companionship.
Antonyms
- Estrangement: The state of being alienated or separated.
- Disunity: Lack of unity or agreement within a group.
Noun
- people engaged in a particular occupation
- the medical fraternity