demilitarized zone

noun

1. an area in which it is forbidden to station military forces or maintain military installations.

2. Informal.,  any area, place, or circumstance in which conflicts or hostilities are held in abeyance. DMZ

Word History and Origins

Origin of demilitarized zone¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Israel has also imposed what is in effect a demilitarized zone over southern Syria, including Sweida, preventing the Syrian army from establishing its authority over the region.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Now, they see Israeli forces routinely moving around their own village, parts of which jut into the demilitarized zone.

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Vance zipped in afterward with a completely made-up plan about a "demilitarized zone" and a "guarantee of neutrality."

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As NPR noted, “It’s also a reminder that while the demilitarized zone divides the north and south, it did not sever centuries’ worth of Koreans’ shared family ties and culture.”

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During her visit to South Korea earlier this week, she held talks with South Korean officials, met with defectors from North Korea and visited the demilitarized zone.

Read more on Seattle Times

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