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enclave

Syllabification: (en·clave)
Translate enclave | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of enclave

noun

  • a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.
  • a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it:the engineering department is traditionally a male enclave

Origin:

mid 19th century: from French, from Old French enclaver 'enclose, dovetail', based on Latin clavis 'key'

enclave in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of enclave in the British & World English dictionary
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