enclave

American  

[en-kleyv, ahn-] / ˈɛn kleɪv, ˈɑn- /

noun

1. a country, or especially, an outlying portion of a country, entirely or mostly surrounded by the territory of another country.

2. any small, distinct area or group enclosed or isolated within a larger one.

   a Chinese-speaking enclave in London.

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verb (used with object)

enclaved, enclaving

1. to isolate or enclose (especially territory) within a foreign or uncongenial environment; make an enclave of.

   The desert enclaved the little settlement.

enclave British  

/ ˈɛnkleɪv /

noun

1. a part of a country entirely surrounded by foreign territory: viewed from the position of the surrounding territories Compare exclave

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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:

• enclave vs. exclave

Example Sentences

“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.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

Related Words

• area
• colony
• country
• district
• field
• land
• nation
• neighborhood
• province
• sector
• state
• street
• terrain
• zone