segregation
seg-ruh-GAY-shuhn
/ˌsɛɡ.rɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
The enforced separation of different racial, class, or gender groups in a community or institution.
Carries strong historical and sociopolitical connotations of enforced division, often tied to systemic inequality.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'segregare', which literally means 'to remove from the flock' (se- 'apart' + grex/gregis 'flock'). Ancient shepherds separated sick sheep from the herd; centuries later, human societies applied the term to institutional division.
Word relationships
- separation: Separation is neutral, whereas segregation usually implies systematic or enforced division.
- integration: Integration means bringing diverse groups together into a unified whole.
Commonly confused with
- aggregation: Aggregation is gathering distinct items together into a mass, while segregation is separating them.
Word family
- segregate (verb): To separate or isolate a group.
- desegregation (noun): The elimination of enforced separation.
Collocations
- racial segregation
- gender segregation
- enforce segregation
Example sentences
- "The Brown v. Board of Education decision declared that legal segregation in public schools was inherently unequal." Civil rights jurisprudence
Memory hook
SEPARATE from the GREGarious herd. Set apart from the flock.
When not to use
Do not use for voluntary personal isolation or simple sorting of non-living objects.
Fun facts
- The root 'grex' also gives us 'gregarious' (loving flocks) and 'congregation'.
Related words
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