demarcation
Americannoun
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the determining and marking off of the boundaries of something.
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separation by distinct boundaries.
line of demarcation.
noun
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the act of establishing limits or boundaries
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a limit or boundary
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a strict separation of the kinds of work performed by members of different trade unions
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( as modifier )
demarcation dispute
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separation or distinction (often in the phrase line of demarcation )
Etymology
Origin of demarcation
1720–30; Latinization of Spanish demarcación (in linea de demarcación line of demarcation, dividing the world between Spain and Portugal) derivative of demarcar to mark out the bounds of, equivalent to de- de- + marcar < Italian marcare < Germanic; see mark 1, -ation
Explanation
A demarcation is a line, boundary, or other conceptual separation between things. Geographically, a demarcation might be the border that separates two countries or the river that divides two regions. Demarcation comes from the German word for mark. Although it's often used as a term regarding geographical borders and boundaries, it can also be used to describe lines between categories or groups. For example, a definite demarcation exists between people who love the Boston Red Sox and those who love the New York Yankees.
Vocabulary lists containing demarcation
Human Geography - Middle School
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Human Geography - High School
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Political Geography - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The explosions occurred, Seoul said, about 30 feet south of the military demarcation line on South Korea’s side amid an uptick of North Korean activity in that part of the DMZ.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Deputy Commissioner Phukan says the administration had complied with the court's demarcation order and would abide by any further directions.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
But now the Yellow Line — the demarcation indicating the limit of Israel’s military zone in Gaza — was barely 100 yards from Ashraf Al-Louh’s shelter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
While personal narrative is key to the album, “No. 29” acts as an aural demarcation.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
First, because each stage grows out of some previous stage, the lines of demarcation are inevitably arbitrary.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
