Difference between revisions of "Ostracize"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
DavidB4-bot (talk | contribs) (clean up & uniformity) |
DavidB4-bot (talk | contribs) (→Etymology: Spelling/Grammar Check, typos fixed: greek → Greek) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
| − | The etymology of ostracize is fascinating: It comes directly from the | + | The etymology of ostracize is fascinating: It comes directly from the Greek verb ''ostrakízein'', which is itself akin to ''ostrakon'', the shell of an [[oyster]]—during votes to ostracize a member of a community, votes were inscribed on oyster shells to be counted after the vote was done. |
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Latest revision as of 16:25, August 8, 2016
To ostracize is to cast someone out, or expel them from the community. In Ancient Greek, it means to banish because of a vote.
Etymology
The etymology of ostracize is fascinating: It comes directly from the Greek verb ostrakízein, which is itself akin to ostrakon, the shell of an oyster—during votes to ostracize a member of a community, votes were inscribed on oyster shells to be counted after the vote was done.