cordon sanitaire

[kawr-dawn sa-nee-ter]

noun

plural

cordons sanitaires 

1. a line around a quarantined area guarded to prevent the spread of a disease by restricting passage into or out of the area.

2. a group of neighboring, generally neutral states forming a geographical barrier between two states having aggressive military or ideological aims against each other.

cordon sanitaire

/ kɔrdɔ̃ sanitɛr /

noun

1. a guarded line serving to cut off an infected area

2. a line of buffer states, esp when protecting a nation from infiltration or attack

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordon sanitaire¹

From French, dating back to 1840–50; cordon, sanitary

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordon sanitaire¹

C19: literally: sanitary line