Ostracised is a term used to describe the act of being socially excluded or SHUNNED. It is derived from the Greek word ostrakon, which refers to a pottery shard used in Ancient Greece to cast votes for banishment. Ostracism was a form of punishment used by the Greeks to exile someone from their society for a period of time. In modern times, ostracism is used to refer to any kind of exclusion or alienation from a group or society.