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; see origin at 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 • Oct. 15, 2024

But it would need something more like a cordon sanitaire to protect the audience from the trickle of smarm that leaks from the play.

From New York Times • Mar. 28, 2022

The U.S. legal system would also present significant obstacles to certain restrictions and some experts have questioned whether a cordon sanitaire, like that in China or Italy, would even be feasible.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2020

If Harper Lee wants a cordon sanitaire around her, let it be.

From National Geographic • Feb. 19, 2016

The plague is raging with unwonted fatality; but no cordon sanitaire is established—no adequate remedy sought.

From Thoughts on African Colonization by Garrison, William Lloyd