enclave
Americannoun
-
a country, or especially, an outlying portion of a country, entirely or mostly surrounded by the territory of another country.
-
any small, distinct area or group enclosed or isolated within a larger one.
a Chinese-speaking enclave in London.
verb (used with object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of enclave
1865–70; < French, Middle French, noun derivative of enclaver < Vulgar Latin *inclāvāre to lock in, equivalent to Latin in- in- 2 + clāv ( is ) key + -āre infinitive suffix
Compare meaning
How does enclave compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
“Bodega Baddie” is a bilingual ode to the Bronx’s Dominican enclaves where Cardi From The Block spent her childhood.
From Los Angeles Times
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit stressed that the capital city is a federal enclave where the president holds greater powers over the National Guard.
Just east of Tangier, the massive Gourougou forest has become a base for thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa seeking to enter the nearby Spanish enclave of Melilla illegally.
From Barron's
The family's home is in Brentwood, a wealthy celebrity enclave full of large mansions, boutique shops and restaurants.
From BBC
But it wasn’t always easy to sympathize with his trials and tribulations in the most elite enclaves of Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
