demarcation

noun

de·​mar·​ca·​tion ˌdē-ˌmär-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce demarcation (audio)
plural demarcations
1
: the marking of the limits or boundaries of something : the act, process, or result of demarcating something
the demarcation of property lines
2
: something that marks or constitutes a boundary
a demarcation line
: a marked or perceived distinction between one area, category, etc., and another
The ability to test a theory against physical evidence … has provided a useful demarcation between science and pseudoscience.Norriss S. Hetherington
Certainly no clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and sub-species—that is, the forms which in the opinion of some naturalists come very near to, but do not quite arrive at the rank of species.Charles Darwin
There has been much chatter in recent seasons about the great gender crossover, that deliberate erosion on the runways of a once-rigid demarcation between conventionally feminine and masculine clothes.Elizabeth Paton
… the continued presence in the modern imagination of a sharp demarcation between public and private space.AAG Abstracts

Examples of demarcation in a Sentence

the lines of demarcation between art and entertainment are often blurry
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The polluted site will be made safe with an 18-inch surface cover of clean soil over a demarcation barrier. Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025 Concentrated sectors tend to have Mafia-style demarcations of turf. Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025 Looking back at the last three years there is a clear and concise line of demarcation - the $145/$146 area. Jay Woods, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025 Celebrity colorist and co-owner of Crane hair salon Cass Kaeding once told Vogue that this technique gets you a softer line of demarcation when your roots start to grow out and gives you some dimension throughout. Laura Solla, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for demarcation

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demarcation was in 1728

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Cite this Entry

“Demarcation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demarcation. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

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