segregation

noun seg·re·ga·tion \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

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

See segregation defined for English-language learners

See segregation defined for kids

Examples of segregation in a Sentence

They fought to end the segregation of public schools.
the segregation of men and women

Recent Examples of segregation from the Web

In Philadelphia, a city where 44 percent of residents are African American, according to Census estimates, these conversations touch on race, class, respectability, politics and the persistence of segregation.

— cassie owens, Philly.com, "For black cafe patrons, Starbucks arrests raise concerns and interest in black businesses," 17 Apr. 2018
City planners said the findings underscored the way Baltimore continues to be shaped by a long legacy of racial segregation.

— luke broadwater, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore City councilman proposes $15 million racial equity fund," 16 Apr. 2018
As in Washington, protestors saw their actions in the broader context of segregation and inequality.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "Martin Luther King Jr.’s Assassination Sparked Uprisings in Cities Across America," 4 Apr. 2018
Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

— rochelle riley, Detroit Free Press, "Riley: To honor Martin Luther King, listen to his ENTIRE dream speech," 4 Apr. 2018
Michael Siegel, the author of a recent study examining the relationship between housing segregation and structural inequality to police violence, told the Intercept earlier this month.

— p.r. lockhart, Vox, "Police shot and killed an unarmed black man in his own backyard. All he was holding was a cellphone.," 21 Mar. 2018
Research shows that educational tracking — placing students in lower-achieving pathways — can harm students and constitute a form of segregation: African American and Latino students are disproportionately assigned to lower tracks.

— the hechinger report, NOLA.com, "High schools in New Orleans try a new way to keep at-risk kids from dropping out," 5 Mar. 2018
There does appear to be some connection between the use of administrative segregation — a non-punitive form of solitary confinement — and suicide attempts.

— keri blakinger, Houston Chronicle, "Suicide attempts have more than doubled in Texas prisons," 5 Feb. 2018
Yet even with these gains, many urban areas still exhibit apartheid levels of segregation.

— rachel m. cohen, New Republic, "The Fight for the Suburbs," 17 Jan. 2018

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

First Known Use of segregation

1555

segregation Synonyms

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

SEGREGATION Defined for English Language Learners

segregation

noun

: the practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other

SEGREGATION Defined for Kids

segregation

noun seg·re·ga·tion \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən \

: the practice or policy of separating a race, class, or group from the rest of society

Medical Dictionary

segregation

noun seg·re·ga·tion \ ˌseg-ri-ˈgā-shən \

: the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

Law Dictionary

segregation

noun seg·re·ga·tion \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən \

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