caste

[US]/kɑːst/
[UK]/kæst/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

n.social class in India
any exclusive social class
lineage.
Word Forms
Pluralcastes

Phrases & Collocations

caste system

Example Sentences

the Hindu caste system

the neuter caste in social insects.

The priestly caste does not normally intermarry with the warrior caste.

they lost caste by moving away from the old house.

lose caste by doing work beneath one's station.

The caste system is still strong in some eastern countries such as India.

He belongs to one of the highest castes.

members of different castes have by tradition been associated with specific occupations.

This Christian caste system is an?unbiblical and unhealthy method of dividing the church between the haves and have-nots.

in each region there was a complex hierarchy of castes strictly forbidden to intermarry and interdine, controlled and regulated by secular powers who acted on the advice of the court Brahmans.

The Hindu caste system forces 15 percent of India's population to do jobs deemed “unclean”—anything that involves contact with bodily fluids, such as leatherwork and laundry or burying the dead.

Real-world Examples

The hukou perpetuates a rigid caste system.

Source: The Economist - China

" Caste and class do not divide us, " Trivedi said.

Source: VOA Slow English - America

But I decided to outcaste the entire caste system.

Source: TED Talks (Audio Version) April 2015 Collection

Sometimes I forget which caste you belong to, Chuck.

Source: Billions Season 1

Other castes were similarly closed, like those of farmers and craftsmen.

Source: A Brief History of the World

The original brood senses this and further develops into two distinct castes.

Source: Bilingual Edition of TED-Ed Selected Speeches

" What a hideous colour khaki is, " remarked Lenina, voicing the hypnop.dic prejudices of her caste.

Source: Brave New World

It is a place in India where people are separated by class, or caste.

Source: VOA Special March 2022 Collection

In India, the caste system divides people based on their work and their backgrounds.

Source: VOA Special March 2022 Collection

A tiny part of the population was excluded from any caste.

Source: A Brief History of the World

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