Pronunciation: [ˈɒstɹɐsˌa͡ɪzɪz] (IPA) 
The word ostracizes is spelled with a "z" instead of an "s," which might seem unusual at first. However, the pronunciation of the word explains why this spelling is used. The IPA phonetic transcription for ostracizes is /ˈɒstrəsʌɪzɪz/. The final sound is a voiced "z" sound, which is why the spelling includes a "z." English spelling can be tricky, but understanding the sounds of words can help make sense of them.
Ostracizes is the third person singular form of the verb "ostracize." It refers to the act of excluding, shunning, or isolating someone from a social or organized group, often as a means of punishment or disapproval. When a person ostracizes someone, they deliberately avoid or ignore that individual, denying them participation or acceptance within the group or community.
Ostracizing someone involves a deliberate decision made by others to distance themselves from the person in question. It typically occurs due to certain behaviors, beliefs, actions, or characteristics that are deemed unacceptable, offensive, or contradictory to the values, norms, or standards of the group. Ostracism can be a collective response or an individual choice, but it is characterized by its intent to exclude and isolate.
The consequences of being ostracized can be significant, as it leads to social exclusion and often results in feelings of loneliness, rejection, and humiliation. Ostracism can create a hostile environment, causing psychological distress and emotional harm to the individual being targeted. It can also have long-lasting effects on their self-esteem, mental health, and overall well-being.
Ostracizes, as a verb form, describes the action of ostracizing in specific instances. It embodies the systematic exclusion and avoidance of an individual or group, making them feel unwelcome or unwanted within a particular social context.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "ostracizes" is derived from the noun "ostracism", which comes from the Greek word "ostrakismos". "Ostrakismos" is derived from the Greek verb "ostrakizein", which means "to banish by voting with potsherds (ostraka)".
In ancient Athens, during a practice called "ostracism", citizens would write the name of a person on a pottery fragment (ostrakon) if they wanted that individual to be banished from the city-state for ten years. The individual who received the most votes after a specific period of time was ostracized. Over time, the verb "ostrakizein" came to be associated with this practice and subsequently expanded its meaning to refer to any act of exclusion, rejection, or banishment from a social group.
