Gregarious

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Gregarious

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adjective

Pronunciation

grih-GAIR-ee-us  /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəs/

Definition

Fond of company; sociable; (of animals) living in flocks or communities; (of plants) growing in clusters.

Plain meaning

Gregarious means naturally sociable — someone who enjoys and seeks out the company of other people. Used of animals, it means living in groups; of plants, growing in clusters.

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Elevated to neutral. Gregarious is a slightly literary word for sociable — used when you want to be more specific or more complimentary than simply friendly. It implies an active preference for and enjoyment of social company rather than merely tolerating it.