caste Definition

caste
noun

1a. Any of the four hereditary social classes into which Hindu society is divided and which although not officially recognized by the state, are still entrenched in many areas of Indian society;

Thesaurus: class, rank, station, position, order, estate, grade, lineage, station, status, stratum.
1b. This system of social class division.
2. Any system of social division based on inherited rank or wealth.

Idiom: lose caste

To drop to a lower social class.

Etymology: 17c in sense 1; 16c in obsolete general sense ‘breed of men': from Portuguese casta breed or race, from Latin castus pure.