gregarious
UK: ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəs | US: ɡrɪˈɡɛriəs
adj. (of a person) fond of company; sociable
adj. (of animals) living in flocks or colonies
adj. (of plants) growing in open clusters or colonies
gregarious = greg<flock, herd> + arious<adjective suffix>
- greg (from Latin grex, meaning "flock" or "herd")
- arious (Latin-derived suffix forming adjectives, indicating "pertaining to" or "characterized by")
Etymology Origin:
The word gregarious originates from the Latin gregarius, meaning "belonging to a flock." The root greg- reflects the idea of grouping or collective behavior, seen in words like congregate (gather together) and segregate (separate from a group). Over time, gregarious evolved to describe both social humans and animals that thrive in groups, emphasizing the inherent connection between the root meaning and modern usage.
She was a gregarious child who made friends easily.
Sheep are naturally gregarious animals, preferring to stay in herds.
His gregarious personality made him the life of every party.
The plant's gregarious growth pattern helps it dominate open fields.
Despite his gregarious nature, he occasionally enjoyed solitude.