cordon sanitaire

noun

cor·don sa·ni·taire | \ kȯr-ˌdōⁿ-sä-nē-ˈter

How to pronounce cordon sanitaire (audio)

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Definition of cordon sanitaire

: a protective barrier (as of buffer states) against a potentially aggressive nation or a dangerous influence (such as an ideology)

Examples of cordon sanitaire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many members of the Saxon CDU, perhaps the country’s most conservative branch, grumble about the cordon sanitaire their leadership has erected around the AfD. — The Economist, "Germany’s ruling parties have escaped electoral disaster," 7 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cordon sanitaire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

19 Sep 2019

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Time Traveler for cordon sanitaire

The first known use of cordon sanitaire was in 1920

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