segregate

verb seg·re·gate \ ˈse-gri-ˌgāt \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of segregate

segregated; segregating

transitive verb

1 : to separate or set apart from others or from the general mass : isolate

2 : to cause or force the separation of (as from the rest of society)

intransitive verb

1 : separate, withdraw

2 : to practice or enforce a policy of segregation

3 : to undergo genetic segregation

—

segregative

play \ˈse-gri-ˌgā-tiv\ adjective

See segregate defined for English-language learners

See segregate defined for kids

Examples of segregate in a Sentence

The civil rights movement fought against practices that segregated blacks and whites.
Many states at that time continued to segregate public schools.

Recent Examples of segregate from the Web

Taken soon after Martin Luther King’s death, the 1970 census showed an America almost completely segregated by race.

— The Economist, "Half a century after Martin Luther King’s murder, America remains an unequal place," 4 Apr. 2018
Other suffragettes segregated their marches and railed against the 15th Amendment on their way to ensuring white women got the right to vote.

— ashlee marie preston, Teen Vogue, "Hope Hicks Isn't a Victim," 19 Mar. 2018
Milwaukee is segregated, said Ron Hegwood, Apartment Association president.

— tom daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee County landlords must consider renters with housing vouchers under new proposal," 12 Mar. 2018
Inmate dies in riot Bihn said inmates favor being segregated because violence can occur if, for example, White supremacist inmates are housed with African-American inmates.

— craig harris, azcentral, "Yuma officers tried to warn Corrections about riot, but officials ignored tip, attorney says," 5 Mar. 2018
In a paper published in 2012 in the International Journal of Educational Development, the researchers found that enrollment in private voucher schools created a hierarchy, with private school students segregating themselves by income.

— peg tyre, Scientific American, "Trump Administration Advances School Vouchers Despite Scant Evidence," 1 Aug. 2017
But Southern basketball teams remained strictly segregated.

— victor mather, New York Times, "When Loyola-Chicago Broke a Racial Barrier 55 Years Ago," 29 Mar. 2018
In May, Bryant enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), the women’s branch of the U.S. Army, segregated from all-male units.

— sarah jacobs, The Aegis, "Army veteran recalls her place in women’s history," 26 Mar. 2018
By Supreme Court rule, these orders can only be instituted when a district has been intentionally segregated by government policy.

— will stancil, The Atlantic, "Is School Desegregation Coming to an End?," 28 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'segregate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The prefix se- means "apart", so when you segregate something you set it apart from the herd. The word typically means separating something undesirable from the healthy majority. During the apple harvest, damaged fruit is segregated from the main crop and used for cider. In prisons, hardened criminals are segregated from youthful offenders. Lepers used to be segregated from the general population because they were thought to be highly infectious. The opposite of segregate is often integrate, and the two words were in the news almost daily for decades as African-Americans struggled to be admitted into all-white schools and neighborhoods.

Origin and Etymology of segregate

Latin segregatus, past participle of segregare, from se- apart + greg-, grex herd — more at secede

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1542

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

segregate Synonyms

segregate

noun seg·re·gate \ ˈse-gri-gət , -ˌgāt \

Definition of segregate

: one that is in some respect segregated; especially : one that differs genetically from the parental line because of genetic segregation

Recent Examples of segregate from the Web

There is also another cultural trend that has led many in our nation to ideologically self-segregate, not based on race, but based on ideology.

— james lankford, National Review, "The Best Approach To Racism: Engage Each Other," 19 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of segregate

1871

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SEGREGATE Defined for English Language Learners

segregate

verb

Definition of segregate for English Language Learners

: to separate groups of people because of their particular race, religion, etc.
: to not allow people of different races to be together in (a place, such as a school)

SEGREGATE Defined for Kids

segregate

verb seg·re·gate \ ˈse-gri-ˌgāt \

Definition of segregate for Students

segregated; segregating

: to separate a race, class, or group from the rest of society

Word Root of segregate

The Latin word grex, meaning “flock,”and its form gregis give us the root greg. Words from the Latin grex have something to do with flocks or groups. Anyone gregarious, or social, enjoys being part of the flock. To congregate is to gather as a flock or crowd. To segregate is to separate away from others or away from the flock.