1. A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank, profession or wealth
   "The caste system in India has been a subject of much debate and reform"
    
2. (Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity
   "The Brahmin caste is traditionally considered the highest in the Hindu caste system"
    
3. Social status or position conferred by a system based on class
   "lose caste by doing work beneath one's station"
    
4. (entomology) in some social insects (such as ants) a physically distinct individual or group of individuals specialized to perform certain functions in the colony
   "The worker caste in the ant colony was responsible for gathering food"

Sounds like: cast, karst

Derived forms: castes

Type of: animal group, class, position, social class, socio-economic class, status, stratum

Part of: colony

Encyclopedia: Caste, Nepal