Rustication is a term used at Oxford, Cambridge and Durham[1] Universities to mean being suspended or expelled temporarily, or, in more recent times, to leave temporarily for welfare or health reasons.[citation needed] The term derives from the Latin word rus, countryside, to indicate that a student has been sent back to his or her family in the country,[2] or from medieval Latin rustici, meaning "heathens or barbarians" (missus in rusticōs, "sent among ..."). Depending on the conditions given, a student who has been rusticated may not be allowed to enter any of the university buildings, or even travel to within a certain distance of them. The related term bannimus implies a permanent, publicly announced expulsion, at least in Oxford.[3]
The term is still used in British public schools (i.e., private schools), and was used in the United States during the 19th century, although it has been superseded by the term "suspension".[citation needed]