# ostracism

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɒstɹəsɪz(ə)m/ · frequency rank #63,861

## Definitions
1. In ancient Athens (and some other cities), the temporary banishment by popular vote of a citizen considered dangerous to the state.
2. Banishment by some general consent.
3. Temporary exclusion from a community or society.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ὀστρακισμός (ostrakismós, “banishment by means of voting with pot shards”), from ὀστρακίζω (ostrakízō, “ostracize”) + -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”), from ὄστρακον (óstrakon, “clay pot”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ostracism