caste system

[ kast sis-tuhm, kahst ]

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of caste system¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

In India, people with darker skin were traditionally ranked lower in the caste system.

From MIT Technology Review

In other words, our racial caste system meant his choices—the roads on which he could walk through life—were profoundly limited, the racism of the state cherry-picking his options, some decent and some bad and some awful, since his birth.

From Time

He answered questions ranging from the caste system of major college athletics to his views, as someone who grew up in Australia, about racism in America.

From Washington Post

If races are our castes, then this makes sense, since—in a caste system—your status is mostly a function of your position.

From The Daily Beast

But it also opens outward to offer a sharp look at the fatal codes of honor dominating the Austro-Hungarian military caste system.

From The Daily Beast

Everything is about access and the badge hierarchy at Davos would make the Indian caste system blush.

From The Daily Beast

It is not possible to deny of a nation that was capable of producing the caste system its wonderful power of organisation.

From Project Gutenberg

Nevertheless, it contains the great text on the caste-system, the fulcrum of priestly pre-eminence.

From Project Gutenberg

The cruel and iniquitous sex relations of the races in the South has grown out of this caste system.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no impassable barrier between the two classes, however, as there is in the caste system.

From Project Gutenberg

Foreign travel has also jarred the caste system rather severely.

From Project Gutenberg