: 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
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The cataclysmic and often chaotic conflict cost more Israeli and Palestinian lives than any war in their history, destroyed wide swaths of the enclave, empowered Israel’s extremists who sought to settle the territory, and sharply eroded Israel’s international standing.
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Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
According to Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty’s latest ultra-prime report, demand has been steadily shifting toward larger estates in the region’s quieter residential enclaves, where privacy, security, and year-round livability now rank as highly as sea views.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2026
Tidy suburbs gave way to rolling hills until I was deposited in East Sussex, the enclave along the English Channel where Paul McCartney maintains a 160-acre estate and neighboring recording studio.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 26 Feb. 2026
Did human women venture into Neanderthal populations, or were the Neanderthal males drawn to larger human enclaves?
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
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Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
According to Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty’s latest ultra-prime report, demand has been steadily shifting toward larger estates in the region’s quieter residential enclaves, where privacy, security, and year-round livability now rank as highly as sea views.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2026
Tidy suburbs gave way to rolling hills until I was deposited in East Sussex, the enclave along the English Channel where Paul McCartney maintains a 160-acre estate and neighboring recording studio.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 26 Feb. 2026
Did human women venture into Neanderthal populations, or were the Neanderthal males drawn to larger human enclaves?
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enclave
Cite this Entry
“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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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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