enclave

noun

: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit enclosed within or as if within foreign territory
ethnic enclaves

Did you know?

Enclave comes from French enclaver, meaning "to enclose," which itself is based on the Latin noun clavis, meaning "key." Clavis opened the door to a few other English words, some of which might seem unlikely relatives of enclave. For example, clavicle, the word for the bone that joins the breastbone and the shoulder blade, and the musical sign clef.

Examples of enclave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the five months since the Israel-Gaza war began, more than 30,800 people in the enclave have been killed and over 72,298 injured, according to figures provided by the Health Ministry there, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Naomi Schanen, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Negotiators are racing to reach a deal that would pair a pause in fighting with the release of Israeli hostages held in the enclave before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins Sunday. Aj Willingham, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 The drops consisted of 38,000 meals, which were deployed along the enclave's coast. Npr Staff, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 With 31,000 air strikes, the offensive on the densely populated enclave has caused massive damage to infrastructure and killed more than 30,000 people, two-thirds of them women and children, say Palestinian health authorities. Yasmine Salam, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 As an all-suite enclave with 138 keys across 40 floors, The Setai somehow feels like a true hideaway in one of the busiest parts of Miami Beach. Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 29 Feb. 2024 Garden Lodge, located in London’s exclusive Kensington enclave, is just listed for £30 million (US$38 million). Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2024 Lin’s production company is located in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown neighborhood, an enclave that also includes the home base for Ava DuVernay’s Array. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 But in the meantime, tensions are rising as some residents are forced to cope with shortages, while others — often in the wealthier enclaves — remain mostly unaffected. Laura Paddison, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enclave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from enclaver to enclose, from Vulgar Latin *inclavare to lock up, from Latin in- + clavis key — more at clavicle

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enclave was in 1868

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Dictionary Entries Near enclave

Cite this Entry

“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

enclave

noun
en·​clave ˈen-ˌklāv How to pronounce enclave (audio) ˈän- How to pronounce enclave (audio)
ˈäŋ-
: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social group within a foreign region or community
Etymology

from French enclave "enclave," derived from early French enclaver "to enclose"

Medical Definition

enclave

noun
: something enclosed in an organ or tissue but not a continuous part of it
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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