What does socialised mean?
Socialised is chiefly the British past-tense and past-participle form of socialise, a verb meaning to help someone learn the manners, behaviour, and expectations expected within a society or social group. It is also used adjectivally to describe someone, usually a child, who is comfortable with other people and behaves appropriately in social situations. The word appears particularly often in education, psychology, sociology, and discussions of pet training. Socialising a child may involve learning to share, communicate, follow rules, and cooperate, while socialising an animal means helping it become accustomed to people, handling, and everyday surroundings. In British usage, the form is usually written socialised; American English generally uses socialized. The term can sometimes imply a process of adjustment or conformity, but in its educational and animal-care contexts it more commonly expresses positive social development.
To teach, train, or accustom someone or an animal to the behaviours and conventions expected in society or a particular group.
"The volunteers socialised the abandoned kittens so that they would be suitable for adoption."
Usually used in British English; American English normally uses the spelling socialized.
Comfortable in social situations and accustomed to behaving appropriately around other people.
"The teacher praised the well-socialised pupil for welcoming the visiting students."
Common especially in descriptions of children and animals raised or trained in ways that encourage positive social behaviour.
Socialised is both an action and an outcome: people can be socialised, and a socialised child can describe the result.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of socialised
Socialise was formed in English by combining social with the verb-forming suffix -ise. Its ultimate source is Latin socius, meaning companion or associate, the same root found in society and sociable. The verb developed in English during the 19th century, and socialised is its regular past-tense and past-participle form. The -ise spelling is characteristic of British usage, whereas American English generally uses -ize in socialized.
Related word forms
How socialised is actually used
Socialised is standard in British English and is also used in formal writing in other varieties, although socialized is preferred in American English. In educational, psychological, and animal-training contexts, it often implies learning acceptable behaviour rather than simply becoming accustomed to a place.
Easily confused with socialised
Socialise is the base verb, while socialised is its past-tense and past-participle form.
Socialised and socialized normally have the same meaning; socialised is the usual British spelling, while socialized is the usual American spelling.