Word of the Day: gregarious

gregarious \ grəˈgɛriəs \ adjective

1. instinctively or temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others

2. (of animals) tending to form a group with others of the same species

3. (of plants) growing in groups that are close

The word gregarious has appeared in 66 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on April 3 in “How a Snake Uses Its Sense of Smell” by Asher Elbein:

Recent research has found that eastern garter snakes are remarkably social, gathering in large groups to hibernate in the winter and forming networks — complete with “friends” — during their active season.

As a more gregarious species, they may be more attuned toward a need to distinguishing themselves from others. One possible explanation of how self-recognition works is the ability to recognize the difference between self and “not-self,” Dr. Miller said. “That then ties it to social behaviors.”

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