enclave

noun

: 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
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.
Conservatives have long viewed universities as radical enclaves. Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 The detainees were brought back to Gaza on buses, where they were met by large crowds at Nasser hospital in the southern part of the enclave. Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025 Israel also agreed to withdraw to control roughly half of the enclave, and release 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans who were detained after the attacks on October 7, 2023. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Destexhe believes the solution to MSF’s bias problem in Gaza is for the organization to leave the enclave. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enclave

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from enclaver to enclose, from Vulgar Latin *inclavare to lock up, from Latin in- + clavis key — more at clavicle

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enclave was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

enclave

noun
en·​clave ˈen-ˌklāv How to pronounce enclave (audio) ˈän- How to pronounce enclave (audio)
ˈäŋ-
: a distinct territorial, cultural, or social group within a foreign region or community
Etymology

from French enclave "enclave," derived from early French enclaver "to enclose"

Medical Definition

enclave

noun
: something enclosed in an organ or tissue but not a continuous part of it

More from Merriam-Webster on enclave

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