caste

noun

ˈkast How to pronounce caste (audio)
 also  ˈkäst
Synonyms of castenext
1
: one of the hereditary social classes in Hinduism that restrict the occupation of their members and their association with the members of other castes
2
a
: a division of society based on differences of wealth, inherited rank or privilege, profession, occupation, or race
b
: the position conferred by caste standing : prestige
art and religion have lost caste—F. L. Baumer
3
: a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion
4
: a specialized form (such as the worker of an ant or bee) of a polymorphic social insect that carries out a particular function in the colony
soldier castes for fighting enemy ants
casteism
ˈka-ˌsti-zəm How to pronounce caste (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of caste in a Sentence

He was from a higher caste. a member of the upper caste
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hell-bent on seeking justice for his peers, Darrow will sacrifice everything to infiltrate the Gold caste, competing for his life to bring down his enemies. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024 Composed primarily of civil servants and military officials, the yangban—a class to which Jong-ryeo would have belonged— were the highest tier of a rigid caste system. —Kayti Burt, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024 Some more mundane elements of the military lifestyle are also contributing to rising disillusion within the warrior caste. —Gil Barndollar, Vox, 1 Sep. 2024 In the summer of 2023, California legislators approved a bill banning discrimination on the grounds of caste. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for caste 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Portuguese casta "breed, lineage, family, hereditary social class in India," of uncertain origin

Note: Portuguese casta has exact counterparts in Spanish and Catalan casta, none of which are attested before the fifteenth century. The word has traditionally been taken as descending from a feminine noun derivative of Latin castus "free from (the thing named), untainted by vice, pure" (see chaste), though this etymology has been resisted by Joan Coromines, who points out that the earliest uses do not imply purity (see Diccionario crítico etymológico castellano e hispánico, s.v.). The phrase hacer casta (hacer "to do, make") means "to breed (animals)"—likewise, the phrase para casta "for breeding." The word would seem to refer to both the act of breeding and the succession of things bred. Coromines is surely correct in noting that Latin castus has influenced the later semantic development of casta. However, his hypothesis that an unattested Gothic word cognate with Old Icelandic kǫs, kǫstr "heap, pile" is the source of Iberian Romance casta is not convincing, The senses of the English noun cast entry 2 that he sees as most relevant, such as "a set of characters or persons" or "characteristic quality," are all late developments from the verb meaning "to throw" and can scarcely be traced back to proto-Germanic.

First Known Use

circa 1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of caste was circa 1624

Phrases Containing caste

Dictionary Entries Near caste

cast down

caste

Castelar y Ripoll

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Caste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caste. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

caste

noun
ˈkast How to pronounce caste (audio)
1
: one of the classes into which the Hindu people of India were formerly divided
2
a
: a division of society based upon differences of wealth, rank, or occupation
b
: social rank : prestige
3
: a specialized form of a social insect that carries out a particular purpose in the colony
the worker caste in a colony of honeybees

More from Merriam-Webster on caste

Nglish: Translation of caste for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of caste for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about caste

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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