OSTRACISM

ostracism

(noun) the act of excluding someone from society by general consent

banishment, ostracism, Coventry

(noun) the state of being banished or ostracized (excluded from society by general consent); “the association should get rid of its elderly members--not by euthanasia, of course, but by Coventry”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

ostracism (countable and uncountable, plural ostracisms)

(historical) In ancient Athens (and some other cities), the temporary banishment by popular vote of a citizen considered dangerous to the state. [from 16th c.]

(figuratively) Banishment by some general consent. [from 17th c.]

Temporary exclusion from a community or society.

Synonyms

• (exclusion): ostracization, shunning, petalism

Anagrams

• Castroism, Croatisms, Socratism, microsats, rotacisms

Source: Wiktionary

Os"tra*cism, n. Etym: [Gr. Ostracize.]

1. (Gr. Antiq.)

Definition: Banishment by popular vote, -- a means adopted at Athens to rid the city of a person whose talent and influence gave umbrage.

2. Banishment; exclusion; as, social ostracism. Public envy is as an ostracism, that eclipseth men when they grow too great. Bacon. Sentenced to a perpetual ostracism from the . . . confidence, and honors, and emoluments of his country. A. Hamilton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition