status

[stey-tuhs, stat-uhs]

noun

1. the position of an individual in relation to another or others, especially in regard to social or professional standing.

   Women in India have a lower status than men and therefore less control over money.

2. high social or professional standing; prestige.

   The Wilsons have status in the community because of their charitable work.

3. state or condition of affairs.

   Arbitration has failed to change the status of the disagreement.

4. Law.,  the standing of a person before the law.

   Those students can receive the same tax breaks as citizens, regardless of their status as immigrants.

5. Digital Technology.,  a short post on a social networking website or messaging application that gives information about the user’s present situation, activities, thoughts, etc..

   I changed my Facebook status from married to single.

adjective

1. conferring or believed to confer elevated status.

   a status car; a status job.

status

/ ˈsteɪtəs /

noun

1. a social or professional position, condition, or standing to which varying degrees of responsibility, privilege, and esteem are attached

2. the relative position or standing of a person or thing

3. a high position or standing; prestige

   he has acquired a new status since he has been in that job

4. the legal standing or condition of a person

5. a state of affairs

status

1. The relative position of an individual within a group, or of a group within a society.

Though the term can refer to either high or low standing, it is often used only to imply a position of prestige.

Other Word Forms

• nonstatus adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of status¹

First recorded in 1665–75; from Latin: “the condition of standing, stature, status,” equivalent to sta- (variant stem of stāre “to stand”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; stand

Word History and Origins

Origin of status¹

C17: from Latin: posture, from stāre to stand

Synonym Study

See state.

Example Sentences

“What Pat did in terms of challenging the status quo was quintessentially American,” Oliphant’s son, Grant, says in the film.

From Salon

“I’m captivated by L.A.’s status as an art hub,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

But after a cycle on the defensive, the group is targeting incumbents again in favor of working-class progressives who will shake up the status quo.

From Los Angeles Times

The health status of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who missed much of summer practices with back problems.

From Los Angeles Times

Garrett Watson, the director of policy analysis at the Tax Foundation, said in an interview with Salon that, with a few exceptions, “a lot of it is extending, effectively, the status quo.”

From Salon

Related Words

• condition 
• dignity 
• place 
• position 
• prestige 
• prominence 
• quality 
• rating 
• situation 
• stature 

When To Use

Plural word for status

The plural form of status is statuses (not stati). Even though status is derived from Latin, it isn’t pluralized by replacing the -us ending with -i, as is done in many other Latin-derived words ending in -us, such as cactus/cacti and fungus/fungi. Most words ending in -s, -ss, -ch, -sh, -x, and -o follow the conventional pluralization pattern of simply adding -es. However, several other words that end in -us are pluralized in the same way as status, including surplus/surpluses and census/censuses. Do you know: What is the plural of radius?