Casta
/ˈkæs.tə/noun
A social class or category, particularly in a historical context regarding race and lineage.
Did you know?The term 'Casta' originated in colonial Spanish America, where it was used in a complex system to categorize people based on their ancestry, blending both social hierarchy and racial identity.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
casta
“pure, unblemished; moral purity”
15th Century
Spanish
casta
“lineage, breed, or race”
17th Century
Spanish
casta
“a system of social stratification based on racial or ethnic background”
18th Century
English
casta
“a term borrowed from Spanish to describe social categories in the Americas”
Modern English
English
casta
“used primarily in historical and sociological contexts to describe racial classifications.”