Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Caste |
CasteNoun1. Social status or position conferred by a system based on class: "lose caste by doing work beneath one's station". 2. (Hindu) a hereditary social class stratified according to ritual purity. 3. A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "caste" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references) |
Etymology: Caste \Caste\, noun. [from Portuguese expression casta race, lineage, from the Latin expression castus pure, chaste: compare to the French expression caste, of same origin.]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Literature | Caste (1 syl.), race. The Portuguese casta. In Sanskrit the word used for the same purpose is varna (colour). The four Hindu castes are Brahmins (the sacred order), Shatriya (soldiers and rulers), Vaisy'a (husbandmen and merchants), Sudra (agricultural labourers and mechanics). The first issued from the mouth of Brahma, the second from his arms, the third from his thighs, and the fourth from his feet. Below these come thirty-six inferior classes, to whom the Vedas are sealed, and who are held cursed in this world and without hope in the next. The Jews seem to have entertained the same notion respecting the common people, and hence the Sanhedrim say to the officers, "This people; who know not the law, are cursed." (John vii. 49.) To lose caste. To lose position in society. To get degraded from one caste to an inferior one. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Caste is derived from the Portuguese word for "chaste," and originally used to refer to a social division in Hindu society. Anthropologists use the term more generally to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized; such groups are common in highly stratified societies with a very low degree of social mobility. Broadly understood, South Africa during the era of Apartheid, the practice of slavery in the southern colonies of the United States before the Civil Rights movement, and the British occupation of India before its independence were caste-based societies.
The caste system in India was based on four varnas (meaning "colors") -- Brahmins (white), Kshatriyas (red), Vaishyas (yellow), and Shudras (black) -- each of which corresponded to an occupational class -- priests, warriors, merchants/craftsmen, and workers. Indian texts also speak of jati, which are communities. Each varna is further subdivied into many jatis. Each varna has its appropriate rules of conduct, or "dharma," including rules regarding marriage, eating, and physical proximity. In the Manusmriti it is asserted that there are only four varnas, which leads one to the conclusion that the formation of the outcaste groups may have been a consequence of the Buddhist injunction against professions dealing with animal-killing. Support for this view comes from the fact that similar outcaste groups have existed in Japan, Korea, and China.
Much of what we know of the caste system in India was documented and codified during the period of British occupation and rule (e.g. Herbert Risley's The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, published in 1892). Some scholars suggest that the resulting depiction of the caste system was as much a product of European racist theories, and the interests of colonial rule, rather than Indian cultural realities. Certainly the color hierarchy from 'white' to 'black' was typically interpreted at this time in racial terms. Modern scholars further suggest that prior to the colonial era, castes were much more open and flexible. There are several passages in the Vedas which indicate that the four varnas were initially based on professions and not simply determined by birth. It was during a later period that the current rigid caste system came into place.
In any case, the Vedas are said to talk about only four castes. Contemporary India however, has numerous castes and sub-castes, many of which are officially documented (primarily to determine those deserving reservation, an affirmative action process similar to the US system) through the census, and these divisions have fragmented the Indian society. Caste-based politics have strong roots in many Indian states. Sometimes, converts to other religions like Christianity, or Islam, retain their caste identity, often due to the economic benefits it carries, and also to retain their ties with the community for social reasons.
Presently, India has tough laws against individual discrimination on the basis of caste. There is a policy for the socio-economic upliftment of the erstwhile lower castes, by the provision of free education till graduation, reservation of admission seats in institutions for higher education, a 50% quota in government jobs with faster promotions.
These affirmative actions have often been challenged in courts, and through mass protests. Anti-reservation activists allege that the divisions are artificially fostered by the process, which they suspect is fuelled by political gains. They also allege that the progress of the meritorius is cramped by the reservation system, which has not been set any deadline by the Constitution of India. Pro-reservation activists allege that the system helps in upliftment of the long-suppressed masses and needs to be in place until all sections achieve an equal status in the Indian society. There is a third viewpoint which suggests that reservations should be continued but based on the financial plight of an individual rather than on his/her caste. This debate has raged on for the last two decades in India.
In social insects such as ants, bees and termites, a caste is a specific sub-type of an insect species which is specialized in a certain task. A common example is the "queen" and the "worker", in which queens are specialized in reproduction and the workers are specialized in feeding and protecting the queens.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Caste."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
CASTE | English | Collision-Avoidance System Technical Evaluation | Engineering & Technology |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Class | Kind, sort, genus, species, variety, family, order, kingdom, race, tribe, caste, sept, clan, breed, type, subtype, kit, sect, set, subset; assortment; feather, kidney; suit; range; gender, sex, kin. |
Disrepute | Play second fiddle; lose caste; pale one's ineffectual fire; recede into the shade; fall from one's high estate; keep in the background; (modesty); be conscious of disgrace; (humility); look blue, look foolish, look like a fool; cut a poor figure, cut a sorry figure; laugh on the wrong side of the mouth; make a sorry face, go away with a flea in. one's ear, slink away. |
Improbity | Disgrace oneself, dishonor oneself, demean oneself; derogate, stoop, grovel, sneak, lose caste; sell oneself, go over to the enemy; seal one's infamy. |
Repute | Rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status; position, position in society; order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Caste |
| English words defined with "caste": Brahman, Brahmin ♦ casteless ♦ genus Psithyrus ♦ Hindooism, Hinduism ♦ Kshatriya, Kshatruya ♦ outcaste ♦ Psithyrus ♦ Rajpoot, Rajput ♦ Shudra, Sudra ♦ To lose caste ♦ untouchable ♦ Vaisya. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "caste": Beads ♦ Covering the Face ♦ Garter ♦ Lose Caste. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "caste": Pariah. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Caste" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. French (caste), Latin (ceremonial purity, chastely, integrity, purely, sexual, spotlessly, uprightly, w). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Now, break down the key elements that make it a caste. Location (The Last Castle; writing credit: David Scarpa) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Caste (1930) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
| ||
Music |
| ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | High caste Hindus of Bombay, India. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Hindu children of high caste, Bombay, India. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | A chair is not a caste. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Civil Liberties | India | This code includes a commitment not to publish articles or details that might incite caste or communal violence. (references) |
India | The BJP officially agrees that the caste system should be eliminated, but many of its members are ambivalent about this. (references) | |
Nepal | Although such discrimination is prohibited by the Constitution, Hindu religious tradition has long prohibited members of the lowest caste from entering certain temples. (references) | |
Discrimination | India | The traditional caste system as well as differences of ethnicity, religion, and language deeply divide society. (references) |
Nepal | Disability, Language, or Social Status The Constitution specifies that the Government shall not discriminate against citizens on grounds of religion, race, sex, caste, or ideology; however, there still is a de facto caste system. (references) | |
Pakistan | The suspended Constitution provided for equality before the law for all citizens and broadly prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, caste, residence, or place of birth; however, in practice there is significant discrimination based on these factors. (references) | |
Economic History | India | The caste system reflects Indian occupational and religiously defined hierarchies. (references) |
Rwanda | Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattleholding. (references) | |
India | Religion, caste, and language are major determinants of social and political organization in India today. (references) | |
Human Rights | India | In August in Jalgaon Distict, the leader of a scheduled caste community was found dead at a police station the morning after he was arrested on a domestic violence charge. (references) |
India | It has worked on caste clashes and deaths resulting from illicit liquor sales, but its lack of authority to investigate effectively has barred it from considering major incidents. (references) | |
Russia | There are elaborate inmate-enforced caste systems in which informers, homosexuals, rapists, prison rape victims, child molesters, and others are considered to be "untouchable" and are treated very harshly, with little or no protection provided by the prison authorities. (references) | |
Minorities | India | Christians historically have rejected the concept of caste. (references) |
India | The country's caste system has strong historic ties to Hinduism. (references) | |
India | Many rural Dalits work as agricultural laborers for higher caste landowners. (references) | |
Political Economy | India | Many major decisions generate vigorous debate along caste, ethnic/linguistic, religious, regional, urban/rural, socio-economic, and ideological lines. (references) |
Nepal | The Constitution bars the registration and participation in elections of any political party that is based on "religion, community, caste, tribe, or region," or that does not operate openly and democratically. (references) | |
Political Rights | Nepal | On August 10, Ramprit Paswan, an opposition Member of Parliament and a "dalit" (member of the lowest caste), was elected Vice Chairman of the National Assembly. (references) |
Women | India | Although most dowry deaths involve lower and middle-class families, the phenomenon crosses both caste and religious lines. (references) |
India | The NHRC overturned a state ruling that had denied the women monetary compensation because the victims and their attackers were members of low caste and tribal communities. (references) | |
India | Mass rapes often form part of the tactics of intimidation used by upper caste gangs against lower castes, and gang rapes often are committed as a punishment for alleged adultery or as a means of coercion or revenge in rural property disputes. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Niger | Persons are born into a traditionally subordinate caste and are expected to work without pay for those above them in the traditional social structure. (references) |
Mauritania | Citizens continued to suffer the effects and consequences of the practice of slavery and of caste distinctions over generations including the traditional existence of a slave caste in both Moor and southern (black African) communities. (references) | |
Mauritania | For example, in some groups, individuals of a higher caste who seek to marry someone of a lower caste may be barred by their families or by the community, and in Soninke communities members of the slave caste cannot be buried in the same cemetery as other castes. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Caste" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 97.20% of the time. "Caste" is used about 214 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 97.2% | 208 | 21,075 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 1.87% | 4 | 175,879 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 0.47% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Noun (common) | 0.47% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 214 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "caste": caste sign ♦ caste system ♦ caste Village ♦ half caste ♦ loose caste ♦ lose caste ♦ To lose caste. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "caste": caste-based, caste-bound, caste-conscious, caste-like, caste-mark, caste-ridden. | |
Ending with "caste": high-caste, low-caste. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "caste"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | kastë. (various references) | |
Arabic | نظام الطوائف الجماعية, علامة الطائفة, طائفة إجتماعية هندية, طبقة إجتماعية (rank, state). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | каста, привилегирована класа. (various references) | |
Chinese | 世袭的社会等级. (various references) | |
Czech | kasta. (various references) | |
Farsi | قبیله (Clan, Phylum, Tribe), طبقه (Bed, Category, Class, Estate, Genus, Grain, Ilk, Order, Race, Sort, Stage, Story, Stratum), طبقات مختلف مردم هند, صنف (Guild, Order). (various references) | |
Finnish | kasti. (various references) | |
French | caste. (various references) | |
German | kaste (race). (various references) | |
Greek | κάστα, κοινωνική τάξη (social class). (various references) | |
Hebrew | מעמ" (class, estate, position, post, posture, presence, rank, see, standard, standing, state, station, status). (various references) | |
Hungarian | kaszt. (various references) | |
Indonesian | kasta, golongan masyarakat. (various references) | |
Italian | casta. (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | カーキ色 (car cooler, car sex, car stereo, cargo, casa, curse, cursor, khaki, sleeping car). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | カースト . (various references) | |
Manx | keim (amble, degree, estate, grade, of high rank, pace, phase, pitch, position, shortcut, stage, standard, station, step, stile). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | astecay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | classe (breed, calling, class, genus, group, kind, predicament, race, range, rank, rate, schoolroom, sort, standard, state, stripe), casta (breed, class, kind, race, sort, species). (various references) | |
Romanian | clasã socialã (class, estate, order), cerc închis, castã. (various references) | |
Russian | каста кастовый, каста. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | kasta. (various references) | |
Spanish | casta (breed, race). (various references) | |
Swedish | kastväsende, kastväsen, kast (bowling, case, cast, chuck, cockshot, cockshy, fling, heave, hurl, jerk, pitch, shy, throw, toss). (various references) | |
Turkish | sosyal sınıflaşma sistem ve ilkeleri, sosyal sınıf, kast. (various references) | |
Turkmen | synp (class), jyn (race). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | кастова система, каста, привілейований клас, порода (breed, rock, species), походження (ancestry, beginning, birth, blood, derivation, genesis, kin, lineage, origin, original, origination, parentage, pedigree, provenance, source, strain). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | mất đặc quyền, đẳng cấp chế độ đẳng cấp. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | casto. (various references) |
| Portugese | 1100-Modern | casta. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Mark Chapter 11, Verse 7 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai hgagon ton pwlon proV ton ihsoun kai epebalon autw ta imatia autwn kai ekaqisen ep autw |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Et duxerunt pullum ad Iesum et inponunt illi vestimenta sua et sedit super eo |
| Old English | 990 | West Saxon | Ða lædden hyo þanne folan to þamhælende. & hyo heora reaf on aleigden. & he on sæt. |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | And thei brouyten the colt to Jhesu, and thei leiden on hym her clothis, and Jhesus sat on hym. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And they brought ye coolte to Iesus and caste their garmetes on him: and he sate vpo him. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And they took the young ass to Jesus, and put their clothing on him, and he got on his back. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Mark Chapter 11, Verse 7 |
| Cebuano | Ug ang nati nga asno ilang gidala kang Jesus, ug sa nahaklapan nila kini sa ilang mga sinina, mikabayo siya niini. |
| Chinese | 他 們 把 驢 ' 牽 到 耶 穌 那 裡 、 把 自 己 的 衣 服 搭 在 上 面 、 耶 穌 就 騎 上 。 |
| Croatian | I dovedu magare Isusu, prebace preko njega svoje haljine i on zajaha na nj. |
| Danish | Og de føre Føllet til Jesus og lægge deres Klæder på det, og han satte sig på det. |
| Dutch | En zij brachten het veulen tot Jezus, en wierpen hun klederen daarop; en Hij zat op hetzelve. |
| Finnish | Ja he toivat varsan Jeesuksen luo ja heittivät vaatteensa sen päälle, ja hän istui sen selkään. |
| French | Ils amenèrent Jésus l`ânon, sur lequel ils jetèrent leurs vêtements, et Jésus s`assit dessus. |
| Gaelic | Agus thug iad an t-asal gu Iosa; is chuir iad am falluinnean air, agus shuidh e air. |
| German | Und sie führten das Füllen zu Jesu und legten ihre Kleider darauf, und er setzte sich darauf. |
| Haitian Creole | Yo mennen ti bourik la bay Jezi; yo mete rad sou do li, epi Jezi moute chita. |
| Hungarian | És oda vivék a vemhet Jézushoz, és ráveték felsõ ruháikat; õ pedig felüle reá. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Waktu sampai pada Yesus, punggung keledai itu mereka alasi dengan jubah mereka, lalu Yesus naik ke atasnya. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Maka dibawanya keledai muda itu kepada Yesus, serta membubuhkan ke atasnya pakaian mereka itu, lalu duduklah Ia di atasnya. |
| Maori | Ka arahina te kuao ki a Ihu, na wharikitia ana o raua kakahu ki runga ki a ia; a noho ana ia i runga. |
| Norwegian | Og de førte folen til Jesus, og la sine klær på den; og han satte sig på den. |
| Portuguese | Então trouxeram a Jesus o jumentinho e lançaram sobre ele os seus mantos; e Jesus montou nele. |
| Rumanian | Au adus mqgqruwul la Isus, wi-au aruncat hainele pe el, wi Isus a kncqlecat pe el. |
| Shuar | Tura umpuurun Jesusan itiariar pushirin umpuurunam awantkarmiayi. Túram Jesus entsamkamiayi. |
| Swahili | Wakampelekea Yesu huyo mwana punda. Wakatandika mavazi yao juu ya huyo mwana punda, na Yesu akaketi juu yake. |
| Swedish | Och de förde fålen till Jesus och lade sina mantlar på den, och han satte sig upp på den. |
| Uma | Karata-ra nculii', ralampii-mi keledai toe hante baju-ra, pai' mehawi' -imi Yesus. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "caste": casteism, casteisms, castellan, castellans, castellated, caster, casters, castes. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "caste": intercaste, outcaste, subcaste. (additional references) | |
Words containing "caste": broadcasted, broadcaster, broadcasters, criticaster, criticasters, forecasted, forecaster, forecasters, linecaster, linecasters, newscaster, newscasters, outcastes, overcasted, simulcasted, sportscaster, sportscasters, subcastes, telecasted, telecaster, telecasters, weathercaster, weathercasters. (additional references) | |
| |
"Caste" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: acstt, Aste, caate, calte, casati, Casdec, casee, Caset, caseu, cashe, caske, Casle, caspe, Casre, casted, castel, casten, casteth, casti, castil, castke, Casto, castr, casty, catay, categ, catet, catex, Catsi, Catta, catte, causeth, caust, Cawte, Cazrti, Ceske, cesta, ceste, cesti, cesto, cestui, cette, Cfast, Cisbee, cista, Ciste, cisten, Cisto, cizye, coste, Costen, Crauste, Csta, cyste, easte, icazet, kasta, kaste, Kasten, Kostev, shaste. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "caste" (pronounced ka"st) |
| 4 | k a" s t | cast, miscast, precast, recast. |
| 3 | -a" s t | aghast, amassed, assed, Bast, blast, classed, fast, gassed, Gast, glassed, grassed, harassed, hast, lambaste, last, massed, mast, passed, past, surpassed, unsurpassed, vast. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: cates, cesta, taces. | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-s-t" | |
-1 letter: aces, acts, ates, case, cast, cate, cats, east, eats, etas, sate, scat, seat, sect, seta, tace, teas. | |
-2 letters: ace, act, ate, cat, eat, eta, sac, sae, sat, sea, sec, set, tae, tas, tea. | |
-3 letters: ae, as, at, es, et, ta. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-s-t" | |
+1 letter: acutes, ascent, aspect, cadets, carets, cartes, casket, caster, castes, castle, caters, centas, cestas, chaste, cheats, cleats, costae, crates, cuesta, eclats, enacts, epacts, exacts, facets, reacts, recast, sachet, scathe, secant, stacte, stance, taches, traces. | |
+2 letters: accents, accepts, acetals, acetins, acetose, acetous, acetyls, achiest, acquest, actives, actress, acutest, advects, affects, aitches, ascents, ascetic, ascites, aseptic, aspects, avocets, backset, batches, cablets, cachets, caestus, cagiest, cakiest, callets, calmest, camlets, canters, cantles, caplets, capotes, carates, carnets, carpets, cartels, carters, caseate, casette, caskets, casters, castled, castles, catches, catenas, catties, caveats, celesta, centals, cerates, cetanes, chalets, chasten, chaster, chetahs, cineast, clarets, coasted, coaster, coatees, coaters, comates, costate, coteaus, craters, creates, crestal, cristae, cuestas, curates, cuspate, decants, descant, ecartes, ecstasy, ectases, ectasis, elastic, escheat, eustacy, exactas, faucets, hatches, hepcats, jackets, laciest, lactase, lactose, lancets, latches, latices, locates, matches, nascent, nectars, nutcase, octanes, octaves, packets, patches, pectase, placets, preacts, precast, rachets, raciest, rackets, ratches, recants, recasts, redacts, restack, retacks, saccate, sachets, satchel, scanted, scanter, scarlet, scarted, scathed, scathes, scatted, scatter, scutage, scutate, secants, sectary, sematic, setback, spectra, spicate, stacked, stacker, stactes, stances, statice, stearic, sulcate, tackers, tackets, tackles, talcose, tanrecs, teaches, teacups, tenaces, testacy, toecaps, tracers, trances, vacates, watches. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Fiction 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Expressions: Internet 12. Translations: Modern | 13. Translations: Ancient 14. Bible Trace 15. Abbreviations 16. Acronyms | 17. Derivations 18. Rhymes 19. Anagrams 20. Bibliography |
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