An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites.

1)An official policy (now ended) of racial segregation and white supremacy enforced by the South African government. It was used to limit the governing power and place of residence of non-white people. 2)apartness, or being set apart.

The former political and social system in South Africa, in which only white people had full political rights and people of other races, especially black people, were forced to go to separate schools, live in separate areas etcOrigin apartheid.