Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

casta

/kˈæstə/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.86 in modern English

Syllables: cas-ta
IPA: /kˈæstə/

7

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The institutionalized system of racial and social stratification in 17th-century Mexico.

noun

Variety, in reference to and in names of Portugal grapes or wine.

noun

A hierarchical system of race classification created by Spanish elites in Hispanic America during the eighteenth century.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Both of these political developments called attention to family lineage. In the Mexican colonial context, casta took on new meanings, referring to all the people of Mexico who were not of “pure” Spanish heritage."

Etymology

From Spanish and Portuguese casta (“lineage; breed; race”), either from Gothic *𐌺𐌰𐍃𐍄𐍃 (*kasts) or a derivative of Latin castus (“pure”).

Origin

Source language: Spanish

Word Breakdown

Root: -, casta, *𐌺𐌰𐍃𐍄𐍃, castus

Usage

Uncountable

Frequently Paired Words

caste

Rhymes With

shasta hasta basta canasta vasta nasta

Questions

How do you pronounce casta?: The recorded pronunciation is /kˈæstə/.
What does casta mean?: The institutionalized system of racial and social stratification in 17th-century Mexico.
Where does casta come from?: It is traced to Spanish.

How to pronounce casta

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “casta”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kˈæstə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “casta”.
Repeat and practice — Say “casta” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.