segregation

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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 meansb : 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

This was nine years after segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in its Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

— lincoln anthony blades, Teen Vogue, "Colleges and Universities are Becoming Less White, and Republicans Like Them Less," 20 July 2017
Hughes’ teams won five state championships: two UIL titles at Dunbar and three titles in the Prairie View Interscholastic League at Terrell during an era of racial segregation.

— eric zarate, star-telegram, "Basketball legend Robert Hughes to be honored by Texas coaches," 19 July 2017
But the extent of their segregation is less exceptional.

— The Economist, "Separate and unequalAn ingenious bid to force improvements in Mississippi schools," 13 July 2017
O'Regan's research also shows that the use of federal tax credits for affordable housing is linked to declines in racial segregation in cities.

— tracy jan, chicagotribune.com, "Affordable housing in black neighborhoods can lead to greater racial and income integration, study finds," 7 July 2017
Many blacks were part of the Great Migration to escape the de jure Jim Crow of the Deep South, only to find de facto segregation in the North.

— Washington Post, "Newark riots recall an era echoed by Black Lives Matter," 7 July 2017
The first set has to do with a student's family resources, residential segregation and neighborhood factors.

— trisha powell crain, AL.com, "Examining the achievement gap between white and black students in Alabama," 5 July 2017
Yet there are deeper societal problems at play as well, including long histories of poverty, joblessness, segregation and neglect in pockets of the South and West sides.

— jeremy gorner, chicagotribune.com, "Halfway through 2017, violence remains stubbornly high in Chicago," 30 June 2017
This was at a time when, according to the Alaska Federation of Natives, many Alaska Natives faced poverty and unemployment due to segregation.

— becky bohrer, The Seattle Times, "Q&A: Coin to mark Alaska’s landmark 1945 civil rights law," 30 June 2017

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

Other Sociology Terms

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

SEGREGATION Defined for English Language Learners

segregation

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noun

Definition of segregation for English Language Learners

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

SEGREGATION Defined for Kids

segregation

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

Definition of segregation for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

segregation

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

Medical Definition of segregation

: the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

Law Dictionary

segregation

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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 Editor's note: De jure segregation is illegal.
2 : separate confinement of prisoners within a penal institution