English · Travel & Places
ghetto
/ˈɡɛt.oʊ/
[/ˈɡɛt.oʊ/]
segregated city area
Advancednoun
Definition
A part of a city, often poor, where a particular group of people lives separately from others.
Example
Historians described how families were once forced to live in the crowded city ghetto.
Historians described how families were once forced to live in the crowded city ghetto.
Etymology
From Italian 'ghetto', the Venetian quarter to which Jews were restricted in 1516.
How & Where It’s Used
Used in historical and social contexts; can be sensitive.
Cultural Note
The word originated in 16th-century Venice for the area where Jewish people were confined.