untouchability

/ʌnˌtʌtʃəˈbɪləti/
noun
  1. The social practice of excluding or discriminating against people considered to be of a lower caste, especially in South Asia.
    • Untouchability was officially abolished in India in 1950.
    • The law makes untouchability a punishable offense.
    • Activists continue to fight against the practice of untouchability in rural areas.
  2. The state or quality of being impossible or forbidden to touch.
    • The untouchability of the sacred relic is strictly enforced by the temple priests.
    • The untouchability of the crime scene was maintained until the investigators arrived.
    • In the museum, the untouchability of the ancient artifacts is emphasized by the security ropes.
What does "untouchability" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean