ostracism
UK: ˈɒstrəsɪzəm | US: ˈɑːstrəsɪzəm
n. the act of excluding someone from a group or society by general consent
n. (historical) the temporary banishment of a citizen from ancient Athens by popular vote
ostracism = ostra<shell> + ism<noun suffix>
- ostra<shell>: From Greek ostrakon (potsherd, shell), referring to the broken pottery fragments used as voting tokens in ancient Athens.
- ism<noun suffix>: Denotes a practice, system, or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to ancient Athenian democracy, where citizens voted to exile individuals by inscribing names on ostraka (pottery shards). Over time, "ostracism" evolved metaphorically to describe social exclusion. The morpheme ostra- preserves the original logic of "shell" as a voting medium, while -ism generalizes the concept into a formal practice.
After the scandal, he faced ostracism from his colleagues.
The ancient Greeks used ostracism to prevent tyranny.
Fear of ostracism often pressures people to conform.
Her unconventional ideas led to her ostracism from the academic community.
The practice of ostracism highlights the power of collective decision-making.