bamboo curtain

noun

variants often Bamboo Curtain
: a political, military, and ideological barrier isolating an area of eastern Asia

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bamboo curtain was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bamboo curtain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bamboo%20curtain. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster