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

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 The Marine Corps' gender segregation has long been controversial. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "An All-Female Marine Platoon Will Finally Train Alongside Men at Boot Camp," 5 Jan. 2019 Rape is more likely in fraternities that practice greater gender segregation. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh and the hidden cost of male bonding," 26 Sep. 2018 The move comes as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has moved to loosen some of his country’s harshest social restrictions, including its policy of gender segregation. — James Hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Liberal hostility toward Trump aides could galvanize the GOP base," 25 June 2018 The Baltimore Sun has won two National Headliner Awards for its series on school segregation and its coverage of corruption in the Baltimore Police Department. — baltimoresun.com, "The Baltimore Sun wins two National Headliner Awards for coverage of school segregation, police corruption," 13 Apr. 2018 But many Canadian businesses, like the Roseland Theatre, enforced unwritten rules on segregation. — Doug Criss, CNN, "She was Canada's Rosa Parks. Now she's the first black person to appear on its currency," 13 Mar. 2018 Strict gender segregation long inhibited women's working outside the home, although rules and customs around male and female mixing has relaxed in recent years. — NBC News, "107,000 Saudi women apply for 140 jobs at passport office," 1 Feb. 2018 During the Great Migration, millions of African-Americans left the South in search of work and to escape segregation and violence. — Jo Craven Mcginty, WSJ, "A Look at African-American History, Through the Numbers," 15 Feb. 2019

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

22 Mar 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