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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
Lauren Izso, CNN, 24 June 2024
Israel launched its assault on the enclave following Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 19 June 2024
The two spoke with nonprofit executives and religious leaders in Pikesville, a heavily Jewish enclave in Baltimore County, which twice voted for former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
—Lia Russell, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
As the brand turns 65, Lilly Pulitzer’s creative director, Mira Fain, shows us where to eat, stay, and play in this unique South Florida enclave.
—Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for enclave 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enclave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Enclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclave. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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enclave
noun
ˈäŋ-
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