Meaning & use
caste
A rigid hereditary social class, especially one determined by birth, that limits a person's occupation and social position.
See it in a sentence
The novel examines how caste shaped nearly every aspect of village life.
She campaigned for equal rights regardless of caste, gender, or religion.
A note on using this word
Caste most specifically refers to the traditional Indian social hierarchy, though the word is now also used more broadly for any rigid, birth-based class system.
Words with a similar meaning
social classrank
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