: 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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Tucked into the ribbons of Appalachia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone is one of North Carolina’s hidden gems, a small mountain enclave that is one part college town, one part remote outdoor oasis.
—
Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2025
Access to an exclusive enclave favored by a select few locals and a handful of NYC families who have been holidaying here for years.
—Mary Holland, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
The deal will see an increase in the number of food trucks entering the enclave daily, as well as the opening of several access points in both the northern and southern regions of Gaza, Kallas said on X, and that humanitarian aid would once again be distributed through bakeries and public kitchens.
—Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
Crack users and other felons leave prison for Skid Row with criminal records that rob them of the ability to make a living, qualify for welfare or subsidized housing, contributing to the area’s sudden transformation into a strongly Black enclave.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
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Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2025
Access to an exclusive enclave favored by a select few locals and a handful of NYC families who have been holidaying here for years.
—Mary Holland, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
The deal will see an increase in the number of food trucks entering the enclave daily, as well as the opening of several access points in both the northern and southern regions of Gaza, Kallas said on X, and that humanitarian aid would once again be distributed through bakeries and public kitchens.
—Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
Crack users and other felons leave prison for Skid Row with criminal records that rob them of the ability to make a living, qualify for welfare or subsidized housing, contributing to the area’s sudden transformation into a strongly Black enclave.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 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 21 Jul. 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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