any of the hereditary social groups in Hinduism that restrict the occupations of their members and their association with members of other castes
From Portuguese casta (see etymology below), caste is a term used specifically to refer to the social structure of Hindu India. The fourfold division of society into priests, warriors, merchants, and servants, sanctioned in ancient scriptures and said to structure all social relations, has been both defended and opposed over the course of Indian history and to the present day — Professor Donald Lopez
a social class
the prestige conferred by social class
the system of social division by castes
a specialized form of a social insect, e.g. a soldier or worker ant, adapted to carry out a particular function in the colony
lose caste
informal to fall in status or prestige
[Portuguese casta race, lineage, fem of casto pure, chaste, from Latin castus]