: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit enclosed within or as if within foreign territory
ethnic enclaves
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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
Israeli bombardment of Gaza since has killed more than 48,000 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, reduced much of the enclave to rubble, and led to a humanitarian catastrophe for surviving residents.
—
Mostafa Salem, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
Trump has also angered Hamas with a plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza and relocate the enclave's residents to neighboring countries.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025
White has conceived of the resort experience as these enclaves of hollow men, people capable of addressing all of their material needs, but nothing deeper.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2025
President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians should leave Gaza to rebuild their lives after months of war has triggered a wave of reactions, exposing deep divisions within the enclave and across the Arab world.
—Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
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Mostafa Salem, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
Trump has also angered Hamas with a plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza and relocate the enclave's residents to neighboring countries.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025
White has conceived of the resort experience as these enclaves of hollow men, people capable of addressing all of their material needs, but nothing deeper.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2025
President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians should leave Gaza to rebuild their lives after months of war has triggered a wave of reactions, exposing deep divisions within the enclave and across the Arab world.
—Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
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 Feb. 2025.
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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
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