enclosure

noun

en·​clo·​sure in-ˈklō-zhər 

en-

variants or less commonly inclosure

in-ˈklō-zhər 

1

: the act or action of enclosing : the quality or state of being enclosed

2

: something that encloses

3

: something enclosed

a letter with two enclosures

Synonyms of enclosure

• courtyard
• patio
• yard
• quadrangle

Examples of enclosure in a Sentence

During the day the horses are kept in an enclosure.

a letter with two enclosures

One of the enclosures was a photograph.

the enclosure of a photograph with a letter

the enclosure of the garden

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the benefits of raising animals in captivity are appreciated, Wild Inside questions whether Flaco’s enclosure at the zoo met the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) standards for size. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

Unlike traditional laboratory-scale systems, the Evergreen-05 fits inside a five-liter enclosure roughly the size of a shoebox. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026

The misconception is that high-efficiency equipment alone ensures an efficient home; however, the entire system, including ductwork and building enclosure, must work together. — Brynn Cooksey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Plans for the site include nature trails, a tree canopy walk, an owl enclosure, a frog bog, a North American river otter habitat and interactive labs representing the Piedmont region. — Chase Jordan august 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enclosure

• composure
• cynosure
• disclosure
• exposure
• foreclosure
• inclosure
• closure
• crozier
• mosher
• osier
• nondisclosure
• postexposure

Kids Definition

enclosure

noun

en·​clo·​sure

variants also inclosure

in-ˈklō-zhər

1

: the act of enclosing : the state of being enclosed

2

: an enclosed space

3

: something (as a fence) that encloses

4

: something enclosed

a letter with two enclosures