Word of the day · 22 August 2026
gregarious
/ɡrɪˈɡɛəriəs/
adjective
Fond of company; sociable, or living in flocks or groups.
In a sentence
- A gregarious host pulled shy guests into the conversation.
- Penguins are gregarious nesters along that stretch of coast.
- Remote work drained him; he is too gregarious for long silence.
In an image
Origin
From Latin gregarius (belonging to a flock), from grex (flock).
History
Naturalists used gregarious for animals that live in herds or flocks. The social sense for outgoing people followed naturally from the same root. English writers from the 1600s onward moved freely between zoology and character. The word still pairs well with introvert talk when you need a precise opposite of solitary.
Nearby words
sociable · outgoing · convivial
People (and animals) who thrive in a crowd.