segregate

American  

[seg-ri-geyt, seg-ri-git, -geyt] / ˈsɛg rɪˌgeɪt, ˈsɛg rɪ gɪt, -ˌgeɪt /

verb (used with object)

segregated, segregating

1. to separate or set apart from others or from the main body or group; isolate.

   to segregate exceptional children; to segregate hardened criminals.

   Antonyms:

   integrate

2. to require, by law or custom, the separation of (an ethnic, racial, religious, or other minority group) from the dominant majority.

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verb (used without object)

segregated, segregating

1. to separate, withdraw, or go apart; separate from the main body and collect in one place; become segregated.

2. to practice, require, or enforce segregation, especially racial segregation.

3. Genetics. (of allelic genes) to separate during meiosis.

noun

1. a segregated thing, person, or group.

segregate British  

/ ˈsɛɡrɪɡəbəl, ˈsɛɡrɪˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. to set or be set apart from others or from the main group

2. (tr) to impose segregation on (a racial or minority group)

3. genetics metallurgy to undergo or cause to undergo segregation

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Other Word Forms

• nonsegregable adjective
• nonsegregative adjective
• resegregate verb
• segregable adjective
• segregative adjective
• segregator noun
• unsegregable adjective
• unsegregating adjective
• unsegregative adjective

Etymology

Origin of segregate

1400–50 in sense “segregated”; 1535–45 as transitive v.; late Middle English segregat < Latin sēgregātus (past participle of sēgregāre to part from the flock), equivalent to sē- se- + greg- (stem of grex flock) + -ātus -ate ¹; gregarious

Explanation

To separate people by race or religion is to segregate them. In general, the word segregate means to separate one type of thing from another. In the United States, the practice of segregating blacks from whites in public schools and public places was common in the South until the 1960s. Because of this, people don't even like to use the word segregate in its neutral sense. But you could rightly say that new bicycle lanes are designed to segregate bikes from auto traffic.

Example Sentences

His aim wasn’t to segregate black history from the national narrative but to force its inclusion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

New research by scientists at University of California San Diego has shown that cells regulate cAMP/PKA signaling by forming liquid droplets that segregate excess PKA catalytic subunits where they can do no harm.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2024

Professors collaborated with the directors of the campus art museum and instructors in the social sciences and business departments, to demonstrate that knowledge is impossible to segregate or compartmentalize.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2024

Some police departments have started to segregate reports of package theft into their own category, which does show some worrying signs.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2023

They weren’t very subtle with their attempts to segregate us or at making a safe space for people of color, but the truth was, I appreciated the sisterhood we’d formed.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• disconnect
• divide
• insulate
• isolate
• sequester
• single out