segregation
gb/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/ us/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 8500
szegregáció, faji elkülönítés, szétválogatás, elkülönítés, kromoszómaszegregáció, kromoszómák szétválása
NOUN
B2
1
szegregáció
C1
Usage pattern:
segregation of [group] from [group] in [area]
The civil rights movement fought to end racial segregation in schools and public transportation.
A polgárjogi mozgalom azért küzdött, hogy véget vessen a faji szegregációnak az iskolákban és a tömegközlekedésben.
Housing segregation has left many neighborhoods divided along racial and economic lines.
A lakóhelyi szegregáció miatt sok városrész faji és gazdasági alapon megosztott maradt.
Despite being illegal, informal segregation still shapes where many families live and work.
The museum has an exhibit on the history of segregation in the United States.
Activists argued that the new policy would lead to greater segregation in local schools.
Learner examples
Segregation meant that Black and white students went to different schools.
A szegregáció azt jelentette, hogy a fekete és a fehér diákok külön iskolákba jártak.
Laws once allowed segregation on buses and trains.
A törvények egykor lehetővé tették a szegregációt a buszokon és a vonatokon.
Many people worked hard to stop segregation in their city.
Today, some towns still have segregation in housing, even if it is not legal.
The book explains how segregation affected daily life.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "segregation" with "discrimination." Segregation is about keeping groups physically or socially apart (for example, separate schools or neighborhoods), while discrimination is about treating people unfairly because they belong to a group (for example, refusing to hire someone). They commonly co-occur but are not the same. Another mistake is using "segregation" for any simple separation (like separating papers on a desk); in everyday English that is usually just called "separation" or "division."
Meaning
enforced separation of social groups
Collocations
racial segregation
|school segregation
|housing segregation
|legal segregation
|segregation laws
|end segregation
Synonyms
separation (A broad term; does not always include the idea of a system or policy, while "segregation" usually suggests a structured or historical practice.)
|
apartheid (Refers specifically to racial segregation in South Africa; often used more narrowly and with a strong political and historical meaning.)
Antonyms
integration (Focuses on different groups being brought together in the same spaces, which is the social and legal goal opposite to segregation.)
|
desegregation (Focuses on the process of ending segregation, rather than the state of mixed groups itself.)
Themes
society
|politics
|law
|history
|relationships
Definition
The system or situation where people from different groups, especially different races, are kept apart in schools, housing, or public places.
The practice, system, or state of keeping people from different social groups, especially different races, apart in housing, education, public spaces, or other areas of life, often through laws, policies, or social customs.
NOUN
B2
2
elkülönítés
B2
Usage pattern:
segregation of [material] from [material]
Proper waste segregation makes recycling much more efficient.
A hulladék megfelelő szétválogatása sokkal hatékonyabbá teszi az újrahasznosítást.
The lab requires strict segregation of chemicals that might react with each other.
A laboratórium megköveteli azoknak a vegyszereknek a szigorú elkülönítését, amelyek reakcióba léphetnek egymással.
Many offices have introduced segregation of paper, plastic, and food waste.
The warehouse uses color-coded bins to help with the segregation of different products.
Segregation of duties is important in accounting to reduce the risk of fraud.
Learner examples
Our city asks people to practice waste segregation at home.
A városunk arra kéri az embereket, hogy otthon is gyűjtsék szelektíven a hulladékot.
There are three boxes for segregation of glass, paper, and metal.
Három doboz van az üveg, a papír és a fém szétválogatására.
The teacher showed us the segregation of plastic from food waste.
Good segregation of chemicals keeps the lab safe.
Segregation of duties means one person does not control all the money steps.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "segregation" here when a simpler word like "sorting" would sound more natural in casual speech (e.g., saying "segregation of laundry" instead of just "sorting the laundry"). "Segregation" in this sense is more common in technical, institutional, or formal contexts, such as recycling policy or workplace rules.
Meaning
separating materials into groups
Collocations
waste segregation
|segregation of trash
|segregation of duties
|segregation of chemicals
|segregation by type
|segregation of materials
Synonyms
sorting (More informal and common in everyday speech; does not suggest any legal or technical process, just putting things into groups.)
|
separation (A broad term; often used when simply keeping things apart without emphasizing grouping by type.)
Antonyms
mixing (Describes combining different items or materials together instead of separating them into different groups.)
|
combination (Focuses on joining different elements into one whole, rather than dividing them.)
Themes
environment
|daily life
|science
|daily_life
Definition
The act of keeping different things apart by putting each type in its own place or group.
The act or process of separating different types of items or substances into distinct groups, especially for practical purposes such as recycling, safety, or organization.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
segregation of [chromosomes/alleles] during [process]
Accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis is essential for healthy gamete formation.
A meiózis során a pontos kromoszómaszegregáció elengedhetetlen az egészséges ivarsejtek kialakulásához.
Mutations in this gene can lead to defective segregation of chromosomes.
Ennek a génnek a mutációi a kromoszómák hibás szegregációjához vezethetnek.
Mendel's laws are based on the segregation and independent assortment of alleles.
Errors in chromosome segregation can cause developmental disorders.
The study focused on the mechanisms that control sister chromatid segregation.
Learner examples
In meiosis, segregation of chromosomes creates sex cells with half the usual number of chromosomes.
A meiózis során a kromoszómák szétválása olyan ivarsejteket hoz létre, amelyekben a szokásos kromoszómaszám fele található.
Problems in chromosome segregation can lead to genetic diseases.
A kromoszómaszegregáció zavarai genetikai betegségekhez vezethetnek.
Mendel studied how the segregation of alleles affects plant traits.
Correct segregation of chromosomes is important for healthy babies.
The teacher showed a diagram of chromosome segregation in cell division.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this biological meaning of "segregation" with the social meaning about people. In scientific contexts, it almost always refers to chromosomes or genes separating during cell division, not to groups of people.
Meaning
separation of genes or chromosomes
Collocations
chromosome segregation
|proper segregation
|meiotic segregation
|segregation of alleles
|errors in segregation
|defective chromosome segregation
Synonyms
distribution (In genetics, can describe how chromosomes are spread into daughter cells, but is less specific than the technical term "segregation.")
Antonyms
non-disjunction (Refers to the failure of chromosomes to separate correctly, which is the opposite of normal chromosome segregation.)
Themes
science
|biology
Definition
In biology, the way genes or chromosomes move into different sex cells when a cell divides to make eggs or sperm.
In genetics and cell biology, the process by which pairs of chromosomes or alleles are separated and placed into different reproductive cells during meiosis or cell division.
Grammar
Dictionary form
segregation
IPA
GB/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
US/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
se - greg - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: segregation
- Plural: segregation, segregations
Word family
Forms
segregations
noun
Core family
segregate
verb
segregated
adjective
Related words
segregationist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
de facto segregation
1/də fˈæktoʊ sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
segregation happening in practice
Segregation that happens in real life because of choices and conditions, even if the law does not say that groups must be kept apart.
Examples
- Many cities show de facto segregation in schools due to neighborhood patterns.
- The court noted that de facto segregation can still have harmful effects.
de jure segregation
1/də d͡ʒˈʊɹ sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
segregation required by law
Segregation that is officially written into law, so that people from different groups must be kept apart by legal rules.
Examples
- De jure segregation in public schools was ruled unconstitutional.
- The country ended de jure segregation in the 1960s.
gender segregation
1/d͡ʒˈɛndɚ sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
separating people by gender
A situation where men and women, or boys and girls, are kept apart in places like schools, workplaces, or sports.
Examples
- Some countries have strict gender segregation in public spaces.
- The debate over gender segregation in sports is ongoing.
housing segregation
1/hˈaʊzɪŋ sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
separation of groups in housing
A situation where people from different groups, often different races or income levels, live in separate neighborhoods.
Examples
- Housing segregation has long-lasting effects on education and income.
- Policies were introduced to reduce housing segregation in the city.
school segregation
1/skˈul sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
separating students into different schools
A situation where students from different groups, especially different races, go to separate schools or are placed in separate classes.
Examples
- Many cities are still struggling with school segregation decades after it was banned.
- The study found that school segregation has increased in some districts.
segregation of duties
1/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən əv dˈutiz/
fixed phrase
technical
dividing key responsibilities
A business rule where important steps in a process are given to different people so that one person cannot control everything and cheat.
Examples
- The company introduced segregation of duties to strengthen its internal controls.
- Auditors found that poor segregation of duties increased the risk of fraud.
segregation of waste
1/sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən əv wˈeɪst/
fixed phrase
separating garbage by type
Separating garbage into groups like paper, plastic, glass, and food so it can be treated or recycled in different ways.
Examples
- The city now requires segregation of waste at the household level.
- Proper segregation of waste helps reduce the amount sent to landfills.
racial segregation
1/ɹˈeɪʃəl sˌɛɡɹəɡˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
separation of races in society
A system where people of different races are kept apart in schools, housing, or other public places, often by law.
Examples
- The museum has a powerful exhibit on racial segregation in the 1950s.
- Racial segregation on buses was once legal in many parts of the country.
- Laws enforcing racial segregation were eventually declared unconstitutional.
- The report shows that racial segregation in housing remains a serious issue.
- She wrote her thesis on the long-term effects of racial segregation in cities.