enclosure

American  

[en-kloh-zher] / ɛnˈkloʊ ʒər /

Also inclosure

noun

1. something that encloses, as a fence or wall.

2. something that is enclosed in or along with something else, as a photograph sent in a letter.

3. an area, such as a plot of ground or an indoor surface, surrounded by a fence, rope, or other barrier.

4. the separation and appropriation of land by means of a fence.

5. an act or instance of enclosing.

6. the state of being enclosed.

7. Roman Catholic Church. the part of a monastery or convent canonically separated or restricted as the living quarters of the religious, which a person may leave only with special permission or gain entrance to by special dispensation.

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enclosure British  

/ ɪnˈkləʊʒə /

noun

1. the act of enclosing or state of being enclosed

2. a region or area enclosed by or as if by a fence

3. 1. the act of appropriating land, esp common land, by putting a hedge or other barrier around it

   2. history such acts as were carried out at various periods in England, esp between the 12th and 14th centuries and finally in the 18th and 19th centuries

4. a fence, wall, etc, that serves to enclose

5. something, esp a supporting document, enclosed within an envelope or wrapper, esp together with a letter

6. a section of a sports ground, racecourse, etc, allotted to certain spectators

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Other Word Forms

• nonenclosure
  noun
• preenclosure
  noun
• semienclosure
  noun

Etymology

Origin of enclosure

First recorded in 1450–1500; enclose + -ure

Explanation

An enclosure is something that closes you in, like a pen or a cage. When a cobra disappeared from an enclosure at the Bronx Zoo, the entire Reptile House had to be shut down until the snake was found. An enclosure can also be something that's included in an envelope with a cover letter of some sort. If you're sending a letter to your literary agent and you’re including a few pages of your latest limericks, you might put "enc." at the bottom of the letter, to indicate that you've included something extra in the envelope — an enclosure.

Example Sentences

The forces of privatization and industrialization swept through England, as Enclosure Acts transformed common lands into private property, barring access for the poor.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2025

Dr Boden's research team is now furthering its work with field trials at the University's Research Enclosure to test for performance of the gene-edited lines under field conditions.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2024

“People are so passionate about Wimbledon that everybody will have an opinion about what you’ve done; that’s quite a challenge,” said Eileen Hogan, who made oil paintings in 2009 that are showcased the Members’ Enclosure.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2023

Numerous other stone buildings lie in the valley between the Hill Complex and the Great Enclosure.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

And just think of the fascinating letters she could send Simon, once their expedition was finished and Bertha was locked safely in her Permanent Ostrich Enclosure!

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• cage
• courtyard
• pen