demarcate

American  

[dih-mahr-keyt, dee-mahr-keyt] / dɪˈmɑr keɪt, ˈdi mɑrˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

demarcated, demarcating

1. to determine or mark off the boundaries or limits of.

   to demarcate a piece of property.

2. to separate distinctly.

   to demarcate the lots with fences.

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demarcate British  

/ ˈdiːmɑːˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to mark, fix, or draw the boundaries, limits, etc, of

2. to separate or distinguish between (areas with unclear boundaries)

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Other Word Forms

• demarcator noun

Etymology

Origin of demarcate

First recorded in 1810–20; back formation from demarcation

Example Sentences

The so-called yellow line demarcates the boundary inside the Gaza Strip that Israeli troops have withdrawn behind, as part of the US-brokered ceasefire.

From Barron's

What was once a regional sport with deep roots and clearly demarcated borders has morphed into a sprawling battle where geography and tradition have been pushed into the background.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Comoe River clearly delimits part of the northeastern frontier between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso -- but the land border is poorly demarcated.

From Barron's

In a decade of crossing and re-crossing, Papi treated the border and the fences that demarcated it like an exercise in prepositions: He went around it, through it, above it, below it, past it.

From Los Angeles Times

Indigenous leaders say its return highlights the importance of demarcating their ancestral lands to keep their traditions alive.

From BBC

Related Words

• delimit
• mark off