Origin of the word ostracism?

Answer 1

Ostracism (Greek ὀστρακισμός ostrakismos) was a procedure under the Athenian democracy in which a prominent citizen could be expelled from the city-state of Athens for ten years. While some instances clearly expressed popular anger at the victim, ostracism was often used pre-emptively. It was used as a way of defusing a major confrontations between rival politicians (by removing one of them from the scene), neutralising someone thought to be a threat to the state, or exiling a potential tyrant. Crucially, ostracism had no relation to the processes of justice. There was no charge or defence, and the exile was not in fact a penalty; it was simply a command from the Athenian people that one of their member be gone for ten years.

Answer 2

os·tra·cize (ŏs'trə-sīz')
tr.v., -cized, -ciz·ing, -ciz·es.
To exclude from a group.
To banish by ostracism, as in ancient Greece.
[Greek ostrakizein, from ostrakon, shell, potsherd (from the potsherds used as ballots in voting for ostracism).]

Answer 3

Possibly from a big bird, that when confronted often sticks it head in the sand to 'hide' or 'disappear' from its enemies. Probably how the Greeks came up with it.

Answer 4

ostrasize, to judge. ostrasizm the process of.