sŏdālĭtas, ātis, f. [sodalis].
I Lit., fellowship , companionship , brotherhood , friendship , intimacy; abstr. and concr. (class.; cf. societas): sodalitas familiaritasque, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 37, § 94: summā nobilitate homo, cognatione, sodalitate, collegio, id. Brut. 45, 166: intima sodalitas, Tac. A. 15, 68.—Concr.: nunc ego de sodalitate solus sum orator datus, Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 5. — Plur. : aliquem a sodalitatibus abducere, Gell. 20, 4, 3.—
II Transf.
A A society , association of any kind, esp. for religious purposes (syn. sodalicium): fera quaedam sodalitas et plane pastoricia germanorum Lupercorum, Cic. Cael. 11, 26: SODALITAS PVDICITIAE SERVANDAE, Inscr. Orell. 2401.—
B A company assembled for feasting , a banqueting - club : sodalitates autem me quaestore constitutae sunt sacris Idaeis ... epulabar igitur cum sodalibus modice, etc., Cic. Sen. 13, 45.—
C In a bad sense, an unlawful secret society : eodem die senatus consultum factum est, ut sodalitates decuriatique discederent, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 5; id. Planc. 15, 37.