ostracism: [16] In ancient Greece, when it was proposed that a particular person should be sent into exile for a period, because he was becoming a danger to the state, a democratic vote was taken on the matter. The method of registering one’s vote was to inscribe the name of the prospective banishee on a piece of broken pottery. The pieces were counted, and if enough votes were cast against him away he would go for ten years.
The fragment of pottery was called an óstrakon, a word related to Greek ostéon ‘bone’ (source of the English prefix osteo-) and óstreon ‘oyster’ (source of English oyster). To cast such a vote was therefore ostrakízein (whence English ostracize [17]), and the abstract now derived from this was ostrakismós, source of English ostracism.
ostracism (n.)
1580s, a method of 10-year banishment in ancient Athens, by which the citizens gathered and each wrote on a potsherd or tile the name of a man they deemed dangerous to the liberties of the people, and a man whose name turned up often enough was sent away. From Middle French ostracisme (16c.), Modern Latin ostracismus, or directly from Greek ostrakismos, from ostrakizein "to ostracize," from ostrakon "tile, potsherd," from PIE *ost-r-, from root *ost- "bone" (see osseous). The Greek word is related to osteon "bone," ostreion "oyster" (and cognate with German Estrich "pavement," which is from Medieval Latin astracus "pavement," ultimately from Greek ostrakon).
A similar practice in ancient Syracuse (with banishment for five years) was by writing names on olive leaves, and thus was called petalismos.
雙語例句
1. Until I emigrated to America, my family and I endured progressive ostracism and discrimination.
我的家庭和我自己忍受著變本加厲的排斥和歧視直到我移居美國.
來自辭典例句
2. Questioning the status quo carries the danger of ostracism, possibly persecution.
質疑現狀帶來被排斥的危險, 還很可能受到迫害.
來自互聯網
3. Some African healers blame illness on witchcraft, which can lead to ostracism of those accused.
一些非洲醫士將疾病歸咎于巫術, 這可能會導致病人受到其他人的排斥.
來自互聯網
4. For the first time in her life the import and horror of ostracism flashed upon her.
她生平第一次突然想到遭受社交界排斥的意義與可怕.
來自互聯網
5. This ostracism is bizarre given that Mr Lobo won a reasonably free election in November.