ostracism
Use Ostracism in a sentence
trəˌsɪzBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
ostracize or ostracise (ˈɒstrəˌsaɪz) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to exclude or banish (a person) from a particular group, society, etc |
| 2. | (in ancient Greece) to punish by temporary exile |
| [C17: from Greek ostrakizein to select someone for banishment by voting on potsherds; see | |
| ostracise or ostracise | |
| —vb | |
| [C17: from Greek ostrakizein to select someone for banishment by voting on potsherds; see | |
| 'ostracism or ostracise | |
| —n | |
| 'ostracizable or ostracise | |
| —adj | |
| 'ostracisable or ostracise | |
| —adj | |
| 'ostracizer or ostracise | |
| —n | |
| 'ostraciser or ostracise | |
| —n | |
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
| A wonderful form of word play in which one word is mistakenly substituted for another that sounds similar. |
| capable of being extended or shaped by hammering or by pressure from rollers. |
ostracism
Cite This Source
ostracism
political practice in ancient Athens whereby a prominent citizen who threatened the stability of the state could be banished without bringing any charge against him. (A similar device existed at various times in Argos, Miletus, Syracuse, and Megara.) At a fixed meeting in midwinter, the people decided, without debate, whether they would hold a vote on ostracism (ostrakophoria) some weeks later. Any citizen entitled to vote in the assembly could write another citizen's name down, and, when a sufficiently large number wrote the same name, the ostracized man had to leave Attica within 10 days and stay away for 10 years. He remained owner of his property. Ostracism must be carefully distinguished from exile in the Roman sense, which involved loss of property and status and was for an indefinite period (generally for life).
Learn more about ostracism with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Cite This Source
