segregation

  1. Noun.  The setting apart or separation of things or people, as a natural process, a manner of organizing people the may be voluntary or enforced by law.
  2. Noun.  (mineralogy) Separation from a mass, and gathering about centers or into cavities at hand through cohesive or adhesive attraction or the crystallizing process.
  3. Noun.  (biology) The Mendelian Law of Segregation related to genetic transmission or geographical segregation of various species.
  4. Noun.  (sociology) People separating geographically, residentially, racially, religiously or by sex based on happenstance, voluntary choice or cultural attitudes. .
  5. Noun.  (politics, public policy) Passing of laws to separate people geographically, residentially, racially, religiously or by sex. Racial segregation in the United States and South Africa being well known examples. Also, the term is used in various policies that "segregate" things like financial instruments and transportation routes and trails.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.