segregation

noun

seg·re·ga·tion | \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən

Definition of segregation

1 : the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated

2a : 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

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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

Students occupied an administration building at Howard University that month too, and police killed three South Carolina State students protesting segregation just prior to this, in February. — Eric Ginsburg, Teen Vogue, "How April 1968 Changed the United States Forever," 19 Apr. 2019 Some lawmakers and others, however, say the segregation fuels a perception that female recruits are less able and less qualified than men. — Lolita C. Baldor, The Seattle Times, "USMC move to integrate boot camp more ends; future unclear," 30 Mar. 2019 The rule would have tied Community Development Block grant money—which many municipalities depend on—to a formal process for reviewing policies that might be contributing to segregation. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "HUD won one court battle, lost another under Ben Carson in 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 The ruling against segregation was momentous, a win for the lives of 5,000 children and their parents, and for the Mexican-American community. — Mariana Viera, Teen Vogue, "How Méndez vs. Westminster Helped End Segregated Schools for Latinx Children in 1940s California," 12 Oct. 2018 Gender segregation is de rigueur in a region where the oil industry is about 80 percent male. — Longreads, "Life on the Oil Frontier," 23 Apr. 2018 The 1954 landmark case saw the US Supreme Court reject racial segregation in American schools after several families set out to dismantle education laws that allowed the division. — Sydney Scott, Essence.com, "Linda Brown, Center Of Landmark Brown v. Board Of Education Case, Dead At 76," 27 Mar. 2018 Yet the border separating the Republic of Ireland from the North has become a key sticking point in the continuing Brexit fiasco, and segregation persists between Catholics and Protestants. — Michael O’donnell, WSJ, "‘Say Nothing’ Review: The Ballad of Jean McConville," 26 Feb. 2019 Thomas was the ideological opposite of Marshall, a civil rights legend who argued the Brown v. Board of Education case that struck down school segregation. — Errin Haines Whack, The Seattle Times, "George H.W. Bush’s legacy on racial issues is complicated," 5 Dec. 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.

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Last Updated

17 May 2019

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Time Traveler for segregation

The first known use of segregation was in 1555

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More Definitions for segregation

segregation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of segregation

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

See the full definition for segregation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

segregation

noun

seg·re·ga·tion | \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən

Kids Definition of segregation

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

segregation

noun

seg·re·ga·tion | \ ˌseg-ri-ˈgā-shən

Medical Definition of segregation

: the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

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segregation

noun

seg·re·ga·tion | \ ˌse-gri-ˈgā-shən

Legal Definition of segregation

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