: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit enclosed within or as if within foreign territory
ethnic enclaves
Did you know?
Enclave comes from French enclaver, meaning "to enclose," which itself is based on the Latin noun clavis, meaning "key." Clavis opened the door to a few other English words, some of which might seem unlikely relatives of enclave. For example, clavicle, the word for the bone that joins the breastbone and the shoulder blade, and the musical sign clef.
Examples of enclave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Manhattan’s Turtle Bay Gardens enclave has attracted musicians, writers, actors, and other notable individuals over the past century, including Katharine Hepburn, Stephen Sondheim, E.B. White, and Bob Dylan.
—
Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
The dilemma is that if Google or Meta or even Apple does have the keys, as used to be the case, then the end-to-end encryption enclave falls away.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
It’s located in an exclusive enclave of Paradise Cove known as Billionaire’s Row and sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Architectural Digest reported.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2024
In September 2015, Russia intervened on the side of Assad, and with support from Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah loyalists, succeeded in recapturing most non-Kurdish areas of Syria, with rebels pinned into a small enclave around Idlib in the northwest of the country.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enclave 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
The dilemma is that if Google or Meta or even Apple does have the keys, as used to be the case, then the end-to-end encryption enclave falls away.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
It’s located in an exclusive enclave of Paradise Cove known as Billionaire’s Row and sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Architectural Digest reported.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2024
In September 2015, Russia intervened on the side of Assad, and with support from Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah loyalists, succeeded in recapturing most non-Kurdish areas of Syria, with rebels pinned into a small enclave around Idlib in the northwest of the country.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enclave
Dictionary Entries Near enclave
Cite this Entry
“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
enclave
noun
en·clave
ˈen-ˌklāv; ˈän-ˌklāv 
ˈäŋ-
ˈäŋ-
-ˌkläv
: something enclosed in an organ or tissue but not a continuous part of it
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share