de facto segregation

American  

[dee fak-toh seg-ruh-gey-shuhn, dey fak-toh] / di ˈfæk toʊ ˌsɛg rəˈgeɪ ʃən, deɪ ˈfæk toʊ /

noun

1. racial, ethnic, or other segregation resulting from societal differences between groups, as socioeconomic or political disparity, without institutionalized legislation intended to segregate.

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de facto segregation Cultural  

1. Racial segregation, especially in public schools, that happens “by fact” rather than by legal requirement. For example, often the concentration of African-Americans in certain neighborhoods produces neighborhood schools that are predominantly black, or segregated in fact (de facto), although not by law (de jure).

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Etymology

Origin of de facto segregation

First recorded in 1955–60

Compare meaning

How does de-facto-segregation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• de jure vs. de facto segregation

Example Sentences

The Savoy also served as a rare space of racial integration during a period of widespread de facto segregation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Prosperity, especially for people of color, is tied to America’s ongoing struggle with de facto segregation.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024

But de facto segregation has proven harder to banish.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2021

Protests ensued over what demonstrators argued was de facto segregation, and the school, Ravenswood High, closed in 1976.

From Washington Post • Nov. 2, 2018

They have occurred, instead, in communities in which de facto segregation has long been present, and continues.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016