enclave
Americannoun
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a country, or especially, an outlying portion of a country, entirely or mostly surrounded by the territory of another country.
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any small, distinct area or group enclosed or isolated within a larger one.
a Chinese-speaking enclave in London.
verb (used with object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of enclave
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
Compare meaning
How does enclave compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An enclave is a separate space or group within a larger one. Imagine an enclave as a cave carved out of a big mountain. All of the bears live in the cave or enclave, while the people live on the mountainside. Groups of like people often form an enclave within a country or region. There is probably an enclave of Africans, Cubans, Russians, or other ethnic group in or near your hometown. It isn't usually enclosed, but it's a place where people of the same background gather and live together, such as a Chinatown or a Little Budapest. An enclave of a country may have boundaries, making it clear that it's a distinct part — and sometimes under separate government — from the larger territory it's within.
Vocabulary lists containing enclave
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His loss of popularity is mainly due to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave inside Azerbaijan that was home to 100,000 ethnic Armenians until Azerbaijan took it by force in 2023.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
The conflict came to an end in 2023, when the Azerbaijan army seized control of the enclave, and most of the Armenian population fled.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The enclave has been struck with a severe rat infestation fueled by uncollected trash and warmer weather.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
There were no silos at La Lumiere, the private Catholic high school Roberts attended, an enclave within an enclave, located on a former lakefront estate.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
Ernest and Pief motored together over the Bay Bridge and down the peninsula to Neylan’s estate in the woodsy enclave of Atherton.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
