enclave

[ en-kleyv, ahn- ]
See synonyms for: enclaveenclavedenclaving on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a country, or especially, an outlying portion of a country, entirely or mostly surrounded by the territory of another country.

  2. any small, distinct area or group enclosed or isolated within a larger one: a Chinese-speaking enclave in London.

verb (used with object),en·claved, en·clav·ing.
  1. to isolate or enclose (especially territory) within a foreign or uncongenial environment; make an enclave of: The desert enclaved the little settlement.

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Origin of enclave

1
1865–70; <French, Middle French, noun derivative of enclaver<Vulgar Latin *inclāvāre to lock in, equivalent to Latin in-in-2 + clāv(is) key + -āre infinitive suffix

Words Nearby enclave

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How to use enclave in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for enclave

enclave

/ (ˈɛnkleɪv) /


noun
  1. a part of a country entirely surrounded by foreign territory: viewed from the position of the surrounding territories: Compare exclave

Origin of enclave

1
C19: from French, from Old French enclaver to enclose, from Vulgar Latin inclāvāre (unattested) to lock up, from Latin in- ² + clavis key

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