apartheid
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.the official system in South Africa from 1948 to 1994 that kept white and non-white people separate.
n.the former official policy of racial segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-white South Africans.
Simple“Nelson Mandela spent many years in prison for his fight against apartheid.”
In context“The transition to democracy in the early 1990s marked the formal end of apartheid, though its economic legacy persists in South African society.”
UsageUsually used as an uncountable noun without an article.
Teacher's tipWhile the word is Afrikaans for 'apartness', it is treated as a loanword in English and is almost always used in a political or historical context.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
v.to force a system of separation on a group of people.
v.to impose a policy of segregation upon a population, typically based on racial or ethnic lines.
Simple“The regime attempted to apartheid the population by creating separate living zones.”
In context“The colonial administration sought to apartheid the various ethnic groups to prevent a unified resistance from forming.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb, though it is much less common than the noun form.
Teacher's tipThe verb form is rare; students should generally stick to the noun or use 'segregate' as a verb instead.
Usage apartheid regime'
“Our reporter John Eligon takes a six-mile walk between two townships in Cape Town to show how the barriers left by apartheid still exist 30 years later.”
“Months after the release of Graceland, the UN’s special committee against apartheid censured Simon and planned to add him to the list of performers who violated the boycott.”