Segregation (noun)

1. The act or practice of setting apart or separating people, groups, or things from others or from a main group.
2. The act or practice of setting apart or separating people by race or other characteristics, as in the case of segregation laws.

Origin:

From latin segregatus, past participle of segregare "to set apart, separate", from se- "apart" + gregare "to gather together".

Examples:

1. During the Civil Rights Movement, segregation was a major issue in the United States.
2. The school system's policy of segregation was deemed illegal by the courts.
3. Many cities in the United States had laws that mandated racial segregation in public places.
4. The segregation of waste is a crucial step in the recycling process.
5. The segregation of inmates based on their level of dangerousness is a common practice in many prisons.