ostracism

Meaning

1. (countable, historical, uncountable) In ancient Athens (and some other cities), the temporary banishment by popular vote of a citizen considered dangerous to the state.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Banishment by some general consent.
3. (countable, uncountable) Temporary exclusion from a community or society.

Synonyms

exclusion

banishment

expulsion

Coventry

excommunication

boycott

dismissal

rejection

exile

expatriation

black sheep

banishmen

seclusion

separation

ejection

Translations

ostracisme

ostracismo

ostracismo

ostracismo

ostracisme

Scherbengericht

Verbannung

Ostrazismus

εξοστρακισμός

esilio

Ächtung

ostracisme

schervengericht

Vertreibung

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɒstɹəsɪz(ə)m/

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ὀστρακισμός (ostrakismós, “banishment by means of voting with pot shards”), from ὀστρακίζω (ostrakízō, “ostracize”) + -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”), from ὄστρακον (óstrakon, “clay pot”).