caste system

American  

[kast sis-tuhm, kahst] / ˈkæst ˌsɪs təm, ˈkɑst /

noun

1. the rigid Hindu system of hereditary social distinctions based on castes.

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Etymology

Origin of caste system

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

There a medieval caste system has bred, not surprisingly, rebellion and the suspicion that all is not what it seems above ground.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

Her writings about Indian culture and civilisation and its caste system are ground-breaking, and are a part of the curriculum in Indian colleges.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2025

Those at the lowest strata of the caste system, known as Dalits, have been pushing for legal protections in California and beyond.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 7, 2023

Primarily, it’s helpful to remember that as Tamil Brahmins, Ramaswamy’s family sits at the very top of India’s caste system.

From Slate • Aug. 29, 2023

Many African Americans today believe that uplift ideology worked in the past and ought to work again—forgetting that ultimately it took a major movement to end the last caste system, not simply good behavior.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander