Race vs. Caste — What's the Difference?

Race refers to groups sharing physical and genetic traits.

Caste is a hierarchical social classification.

Race can signify shared cultural or ancestral heritage.

Caste can dictate societal roles and professions.

Race is a biological classification of humans.

Caste can limit social interactions and marriages.

Race can be a basis for societal identity.

Caste is often based on birth and tradition.

Race categorizes based on skin color or features.

Caste is prevalent in specific cultures or regions.

A competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course

Caste is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution. Its paradigmatic ethnographic example is the division of India's Hindu society into rigid social groups, with roots in India's ancient history and persisting to the present time.

A strong or rapid current flowing through a narrow channel in the sea or a river

Any of the hereditary, endogamous social classes or subclasses of traditional Hindu society, stratified according to Hindu ritual purity, especially the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra castes.

A water channel, especially one built to lead water to or from a point where its energy is utilized, as in a mill or mine.

A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank, profession, or wealth.

A smooth ring-shaped groove or guide in which a ball bearing or roller bearing runs.

A social system or the principle of grading society based on castes.

A fenced passageway in a stockyard through which animals pass singly for branding, loading, washing, etc.

The social position or status conferred by a system based on castes

(in weaving) the channel along which the shuttle moves.

A specialized level in a colony of social insects, such as ants, in which the members, such as workers or soldiers, carry out a specific function.

Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics

Any of the hereditary social classes and subclasses of South Asian societies.

A ginger root.

A separate and fixed order or class of persons in society who chiefly associate with each other.

Compete with another or others to see who is fastest at covering a set course or achieving an objective

(zoology) A class of polymorphous eusocial insects of a particular size and function within a colony.

Move or progress swiftly or at full speed

One of the hereditary classes into which the Hindu are divided according to the laws of Brahmanism.

A group of people identified as distinct from other groups because of supposed physical or genetic traits shared by the group. Most biologists and anthropologists do not recognize race as a biologically valid classification, in part because there is more genetic variation within groups than between them.

A separate and fixed order or class of persons in society who chiefly hold intercourse among themselves.

A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution

Social status or position conferred by a system based on class;

A genealogical line; a lineage.

(Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity

Humans considered as a group.

A social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth

A usually geographically isolated population of organisms that differs from other populations of the same species in certain heritable traits

A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

A distinguishing or characteristic quality, such as the flavor of a wine.

A competition of speed, as in running or riding.

Races A series of such competitions held at a specified time on a regular course

An extended competition in which participants struggle like runners to be the winner

Steady or rapid onward movement

A strong or swift current of water.

The channel of such a current.

An artificial channel built to transport water and use its energy. Also called raceway.

A groovelike part of a machine in which a moving part slides or rolls.

See slipstream.

Of or relating to race; racial

Of or relating to forms of popular entertainment made by and largely marketed to African Americans in the early 1900s

(Sports) To compete in a contest of speed.

To move rapidly or at top speed

To run too rapidly due to decreased resistance or unnecessary provision of fuel

To compete against in a race.

To cause to compete in a race

To transport rapidly or at top speed; rush

To cause (an engine with the gears disengaged, for example) to run swiftly or too swiftly.

A contest between people, animals, vehicles, etc. where the goal is to be the first to reach some objective. Example: Several horses run in a horse race, and the first one to reach the finishing post wins

Swift progress; rapid motion; an instance of moving or driving at high speed.

(computing) A race condition.

A progressive movement toward a goal.

A fast-moving current of water, such as that which powers a mill wheel.

A water channel, esp. one built to lead water to or from a point where it is utilised.

Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.

The bushings of a rolling element bearing which contacts the rolling elements.

A group of sentient beings, particularly people, distinguished by common ancestry, heritage or characteristics:

A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare ethnic group. See Wikipedia's article on historical definitions of race.

A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of common physical characteristics, such as skin color or hair type.

A large group of sentient beings distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare species, subspecies.

A group or category distinguished from others on the basis of shared characteristics or qualities, for example social qualities.

(biology) A population geographically separated from others of its species that develops significantly different characteristics; a mating group.

(zoology) Subspecies.

(animal husbandry) A breed or strain of domesticated animal.

An infraspecific rank, a pathotype, pathovar, etc.

(obsolete) Peculiar flavour, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavour.

(obsolete) Characteristic quality or disposition.

Ancestry.

A rhizome or root, especially of ginger.

(intransitive) To take part in a race (in the sense of a contest).

(transitive) To compete against in a race (contest).

(intransitive) To move or drive at high speed; to hurry or speed.

To run rapidly when not engaged to a transmission.

To assign a race to; to perceive as having a (usually specified) race.

To raze.

To run swiftly; to contend in a race; as, the animals raced over the ground; the ships raced from port to port.

To run too fast at times, as a marine engine or screw, when the screw is lifted out of water by the action of a heavy sea.

To cause to contend in a race; to drive at high speed; as, to race horses.

To run a race with.

A root.

The descendants of a common ancestor; a family, tribe, people, or nation, believed or presumed to belong to the same stock; a lineage; a breed.

Company; herd; breed.

A variety of such fixed character that it may be propagated by seed.

Peculiar flavor, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavor; smack.

Hence, characteristic quality or disposition.

A progress; a course; a movement or progression.

Esp., swift progress; rapid course; a running.

Hence: The act or process of running in competition; a contest of speed in any way, as in running, riding, driving, skating, rowing, sailing; in the plural, usually, a meeting for contests in the running of horses; as, he attended the races.

Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.

A strong or rapid current of water, or the channel or passage for such a current; a powerful current or heavy sea, sometimes produced by the meeting of two tides; as, the Portland Race; the Race of Alderney.

The current of water that turns a water wheel, or the channel in which it flows; a mill race.

A channel or guide along which a shuttle is driven back and forth, as in a loom, sewing machine, etc.

Any competition;

People who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock;

A contest of speed;

The flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller

(biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species

A canal for a current of water

Step on it;

Compete in a race;

To work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others;

Cause to move fast or to rush or race;

Traditionally, a person is born into a caste, and it remains unchanged throughout their life.

Historically, the caste system organized people hierarchically, often based on occupation, societal role, and religious duties.

While rooted in biology, race also encompasses cultural, historical, and geographical factors.

India is the most notable example, but variations exist in other countries like Nepal and parts of Africa.

While race is based on physical and genetic traits, ethnicity encompasses cultural, linguistic, and often geographical factors.

A person's race is determined by their physical characteristics and genetic ancestry.

Yes, numerous movements globally advocate for racial equality and challenge discrimination.

Yes, caste is a social construct independent of race; individuals of different races can belong to the same caste in societies with a caste system.

In strict caste systems, marriages often occur within the same caste, with inter-caste marriages discouraged.

While not as rigid as in the past, vestiges of the caste system still influence societies, especially in parts of India.

Some caste systems, like in India, have religious roots, but not all are religiously based.

While race itself doesn't dictate societal status, racial prejudices and systemic discrimination can influence it.

Racial discrimination exists in many parts of the world, though its nature and extent vary.

In traditional systems, professions like blacksmithing or weaving might be linked to specific castes.

Some countries have laws to combat racial and caste discrimination, while others may incorporate caste or race-based reservations or protections.