: 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
Trump has threatened to slash federal funding for universities over pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza, which has caused a humanitarian crisis in the enclave and followed a deadly October 2023 attack by the Islamist group Hamas.
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Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Among the living, desperation is growing as hunger reaches critical levels under Israel’s weeks-long humanitarian blockade of the enclave.
—Lauren Izso, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
Israel announced a major expansion of its ground operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 50,000 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and destroyed much of the enclave.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
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Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Among the living, desperation is growing as hunger reaches critical levels under Israel’s weeks-long humanitarian blockade of the enclave.
—Lauren Izso, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
Israel announced a major expansion of its ground operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 50,000 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and destroyed much of the enclave.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 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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