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

Though the exhibit largely focuses on moments of beauty and solidarity among South Asian communities, it doesn’t shy away from grappling with the fraught realities of anti-Blackness and the legacy of the caste system.

From Washington Post

America’s racial divisions are examined and reframed as a caste system.

From Washington Post

The caste system is an ancient social hierarchy that originated from Hinduism in India.

From Seattle Times

Our ancestral caste system is created by a recognition of race that is so obsessed with blood quantum and phenotype that it becomes eugenicist.

From New York Times

But all people with white skin who live in this country benefit from a caste system that advantages whites.

From New York Times