ostracism

[ os-truh-siz-uhm ]
See synonyms for ostracism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. exclusion, by general consent, from social acceptance, privileges, friendship, etc.

  2. (in ancient Greece) temporary banishment of a citizen, decided upon by popular vote.

Origin of ostracism

1
1570–80; <New Latin ostracismus<Greek ostrakismós banishment, equivalent to ostrak(ízein) to ostracize + -ismos-ism

Words Nearby ostracism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ostracism in a sentence