Table of Contents
Definition of Caste System
(noun) A stratified system based on a status conferred at birth (ascribed status) due to an individual’s descent in which individuals do not have mobility due to custom or law.
Example of Caste System
Caste System Pronunciation
Syllabification: caste sys·tem
Audio Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling
- American English – /kAst sIs-tuhm/
- British English – /kAHst sIs-tim/
International Phonetic Alphabet
- American English – /kæst ˈsɪstəm/
- British English – /kɑːst ˈsɪstɪm/
Usage Notes
- Plural: caste systems
- Also called caste society.
Related Quotation
- “Caste and class systems of stratification are opposite, extreme points on a continuum. The two systems differ in the ease of social mobility, the relative importance of achieved and ascribed statuses, and the extent to which each restricts interaction among people considered unequal” (Ferrante 2011:204).
Related Videos
Additional Information
Related Terms
Reference
Ferrante, Joan. 2011. Sociology: A Global Perspective. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Works Consulted
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Cite the Definition of Caste System
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2017. “caste system.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved September 17, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/caste-system/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
caste system. (2017). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/caste-system/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2017. “caste-system.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed September 17, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/caste-system/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“caste system.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2017. Web. 17 Sep. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/caste-system/>.