: 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
And a recent estimate from the Palestinian Ministry of Health – which is based in Ramallah, in the West Bank, a separate, non-contiguous Palestinian enclave – concluded that at least 30% of Palestinians killed over the last two years in Gaza have been under 18.
—
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out across the Mediterranean with more than 40 boats carrying about 500 activists, was the largest yet to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the enclave, according to the AP.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Come October, New Yorkers looking to escape the city for a long weekend trade the coastal enclaves of the Hamptons for the golden hiking trails and quaint little towns of Upstate New York—and nowhere is this mass exodus more visible than in the Catskills.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
The oldest date to the mid-19th century, while newer enclaves only cropped up in recent decades or, like Toronto’s, relocated from elsewhere in the post-World War II era.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
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Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out across the Mediterranean with more than 40 boats carrying about 500 activists, was the largest yet to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the enclave, according to the AP.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Come October, New Yorkers looking to escape the city for a long weekend trade the coastal enclaves of the Hamptons for the golden hiking trails and quaint little towns of Upstate New York—and nowhere is this mass exodus more visible than in the Catskills.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
The oldest date to the mid-19th century, while newer enclaves only cropped up in recent decades or, like Toronto’s, relocated from elsewhere in the post-World War II era.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 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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