segregation

noun

seg·​re·​ga·​tion ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce segregation (audio)
1
: the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated
2
a
: the separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities, or by other discriminatory means
b
: the separation for special treatment or observation of individuals or items from a larger group
segregation of gifted children into accelerated classes
3
: the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

Examples of segregation in a Sentence

They fought to end the segregation of public schools. the segregation of men and women
Recent Examples on the Web The house served as a hub for organizers − including Martin Luther King Jr. − who were planning the Selma-to-Montgomery marches during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, when activists across the nation pushed for equal rights for African Americans and to put an end to racial segregation. Liz Kellar, Detroit Free Press, 26 Feb. 2024 In the 19th century, chattel slavery gave way to segregation, Jim Crow, and a ruthless sharecropping system. Jeff Raikes, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Bailey Loosemore Kentucky has come a long way since 10,000 people marched to the state capitol in 1964, demanding an end to segregation at businesses statewide. The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Starting in the mid-1940s, and throughout the decades of segregation and beyond, the Beatties Ford Road club stood as an oasis for Black Charlotte. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 22 Feb. 2024 Bettmann / Getty Images Bettmann / Getty Images In January of 1961, a federal district court judge ordered the admission of African American students Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter to the University of Georgia, ending 160 years of segregation at the school. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 At the same time, the ANC government had taken over a diverse country, one in which centuries of segregation had ensured that white South Africans owned virtually all the capital. Steven Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2024 Mayor Adams has argued that a law banning solitary confinement, the practice of holding detainees alone for long periods, is unnecessary because the city has already effectively banned it by switching to punitive segregation, a less severe form of discipline. Dana Rubinstein, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2024 Apartheid was originally used to refer to the White South African government’s racial segregation and political and economic discrimination of the country’s majority non-White population. Niha Masih, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'segregation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of segregation was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near segregation

Cite this Entry

“Segregation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/segregation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

segregation

noun
seg·​re·​ga·​tion ˌseg-ri-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce segregation (audio)
1
: the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated
2
: the separation or isolation of a race, class, or group (as by restriction to an area or by separate schools)

Medical Definition

segregation

noun
seg·​re·​ga·​tion ˌseg-ri-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce segregation (audio)
: the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

Legal Definition

segregation

noun
seg·​re·​ga·​tion ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce segregation (audio)
1
: separation of individuals or groups and especially racial groups compare desegregation
de facto segregation
: segregation of racial groups that arises as a result of economic, social, or other factors rather than by operation or enforcement of laws or other official state action
de jure segregation
: segregation intended or mandated by law or otherwise intentionally arising from state action

Note: De jure segregation is illegal.

2
: separate confinement of prisoners within a penal institution

More from Merriam-Webster on segregation

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