caste

noun

/kɑːst/

/kæst/

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[countable] any of the four main divisions of Hindu society, originally those made according to functions in society（印度教的四大）种姓
- the caste system种姓制度
- high-caste Brahmins高级种姓婆罗门
see also scheduled caste
Extra Examples
- He belongs to one of the highest castes.他属于最高社会阶层之一。
- low-caste families下层社会家庭
- the Hindu caste system印度种姓制度
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- high
- low
verb + caste
- belong to
caste + noun
- system
phrases
- a member of a caste
- of high caste
- of low caste
- …
See full entry
[countable] a social class, especially one whose members do not allow others to join it（尤指禁止其他等级成员进入的）社会阶层，社会等级
- the ruling caste统治阶层
Topics People in societyc2
[uncountable] the system of dividing society into classes based on differences in family origin, rank or wealth社会等级制度Topics People in societyc2

see also half-caste

Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘race, breed’): from Spanish and Portuguese casta ‘lineage, race, breed’, feminine of casto ‘pure, unmixed’, from Latin castus ‘chaste’.