Meaning & Definition of word "Ostracism"
Ostracism
/ˈɒstrəˌsɪzəm/
noun:
- 1. Exclusion from a society or group.
- Example: The feeling of ostracism can be deeply painful for those who are shunned by their peers.
- 2. A method of temporary banishment used in ancient Athens, where a citizen could be expelled by popular vote.
- Example: The practice of ostracism in ancient Greece allowed citizens to vote to exile someone for a period of ten years.
- 3. The act of ignoring or excluding a person or group, often as a means of social control.
- Example: The student's ostracism by her classmates led to her feelings of loneliness and depression.
Etymology
●From Greek 'ostrakismos', which comes from 'ostrakon', meaning 'potsherd' or 'tile'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
social ostracism:
The act of excluding an individual from social interactions.
political ostracism:
The exclusion of a person from political activities or parties.
group ostracism:
When a group collectively excludes a member.
Related Words
exile:
The state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.
alienation:
The state of being isolated or estranged from a group or activity.
discrimination:
The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things.
Slang Meanings of ostracism
Meaning: Ghosting
● Example Sentence: She ghosted him after their first date, a form of modern ostracism.
Meaning: Cutting off
● Example Sentence: After the argument, he felt like everyone was cutting him off, embodying ostracism.