: 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
Israel still controls just over half of the enclave, and Hamas the rest, with territorial divides marked by yellow concrete blocks.
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semafor.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Across the country, women-only social clubs are on the rise, not as elite enclaves, but as meaningful sanctuaries of sisterhood, creativity, identity and unapologetic presence.
—Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza was opened on Wednesday to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave, COGAT, the Israeli military’s arm that oversees aid flows, said in a statement.
—Henry Austin, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
We were stuck in Egypt on a medical trip when Hamas took over Gaza and Israel shut down all the enclave’s borders.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
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semafor.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Across the country, women-only social clubs are on the rise, not as elite enclaves, but as meaningful sanctuaries of sisterhood, creativity, identity and unapologetic presence.
—Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza was opened on Wednesday to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave, COGAT, the Israeli military’s arm that oversees aid flows, said in a statement.
—Henry Austin, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
We were stuck in Egypt on a medical trip when Hamas took over Gaza and Israel shut down all the enclave’s borders.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enclave
Cite this Entry
“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 19 Nov. 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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