segregation
UK: ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən | US: ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən
n. the action or state of setting someone or something apart from others, often based on discriminatory criteria.
n. (Biology) the separation of paired alleles during meiosis.
segregation = se<apart> + greg<flock/herd> + ation<noun suffix>
- se (Latin: "apart")
- greg (Latin: "gregare," meaning "to flock or herd," from "grex" = flock)
- ation (noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process)
Etymology Origin:
The word "segregation" originates from Latin segregare, combining se- ("apart") and gregare ("to gather into a flock"). It originally described the literal separation of animals from a herd but evolved metaphorically to denote social or institutional separation, particularly along racial or ethnic lines. The biological usage reflects its logical extension to genetic separation during cell division.
Racial segregation in schools was outlawed in the U.S. in 1954.
The policy led to the segregation of communities by income level.
During meiosis, the segregation of chromosomes ensures genetic diversity.
Urban planning sometimes unintentionally reinforces social segregation.
The museum exhibit documented the history of housing segregation.