cordon sanitaire

American  

[kawr-dawn sa-nee-ter] / kɔr dɔ̃ sa niˈtɛr /

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.

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cordon sanitaire British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of cordon sanitaire

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

Example Sentences

That’s why counties like Los Angeles have kept up vigilant monitoring and fly-murdering programs, sometimes with new tools, to protect the state’s agricultural cordon sanitaire from Napa and Sonoma to the Mexican border.

From Los Angeles Times

"Cordon sanitaire" is a term used by some political parties to reject cooperation with movements viewed as too extreme.

From BBC

One favored analogy for dealing with them has been a “cordon sanitaire,” the protective barrier put in place to stop the spread of infectious diseases.

From Seattle Times

To parties, it is often intended to enforce internal unity and cohesion, as well as what is known in European politics as the “cordon sanitaire,” or an informal ban on extremists and demagogues.

From New York Times

She drew a “cordon sanitaire” around her husband toward the end of his life, trying to protect their financial interests, Boynton writes, and did not grant him access, for example, to the 20 to 30 of Beard’s heavily annotated diaries she is said to have in storage.

From New York Times