enclave
[ en-kleyv, ahn- ]
/ ˈɛn kleɪv, ˈɑn- /
noun
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), en·claved, en·clav·ing.
to isolate or enclose (especially territory) within a foreign or uncongenial environment; make an enclave of: The desert enclaved the little settlement.
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
Words nearby enclave
encke,
encke's comet,
encke's division,
encl.,
enclasp,
enclave,
enclitic,
enclose,
enclosed order,
enclosure,
enclosure act
Example sentences from the Web for enclave
British Dictionary definitions for enclave
enclave
/ (ˈɛnkleɪv) /
noun
a part of a country entirely surrounded by foreign territory: viewed from the position of the surrounding territories
Compare exclave
Word Origin for enclave
C19: from French, from Old French
enclaver to enclose, from Vulgar Latin
inclāvāre (unattested) to lock up, from Latin
in- ² +
clavis key
Medical definitions for enclave
enclave
[ ĕn′klāv′, ŏn′- ]
n.
A detached mass of tissue enclosed in tissue of another kind.