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Freemasonry is a fraternal organization, existing in various forms worldwide, whose membership has shared moral and metaphysical ideals and in most of its branches requires a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being.

Freemasonry is administratively organized into Grand Lodges (or sometimes Orients) that govern a particular jurisdiction made up of subordinate (or constituent) Lodges. Grand Lodges recognize each other through a process of Masonic Landmarks and regularity. There are also appendant bodies, which are organizations related to the main branch of Freemasonry, but with their own independent administration.

Freemasonry uses the metaphors of operative stonemasons' tools and implements, against the allegorical backdrop of the building of King Solomon's Temple, to convey what is most generally defined as "a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."

While it has often been called a "secret society", it is more correct to say that it is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects are private. From many quarters, Freemasons have stated that Freemasonry has, in the 21st century, become less a secret society and more of a "society with secrets." The private aspects of modern Freemasonry are the modes of recognition amongst members and particular elements within the ritual.

While there have been many disclosures and exposÈs dating as far back as the eighteenth century, these often lack the proper context for true understanding, may be outdated for various reasons, or could be outright hoaxes on the part of the author.