exclave

noun

ex·clave ˈek-ˌsklāv

-ˌskläv

: a portion of a country separated from the main part and constituting an enclave in respect to the surrounding territory

Did you know?

You probably won't be surprised to learn that the key to "exclave" is found in "enclave." "Enclave" itself ultimately derives from the Latin word for "key," which is "clavis." It was adopted in the mid-19th century from Middle French enclaver ("to enclose"), which in turn derives (through Vulgar Latin) from in- and clavis. "Exclave" was formed about twenty years later by combining the prefix ex- and the "-clave" of "enclave." Other "clavis" descendants in English include "autoclave," "clavicle," "conclave," and "clavichord" ("an early keyboard instrument in use before the piano").

Examples of exclave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Azerbaijan has long demanded the creation of a special route through this territory to connect Azerbaijan with its exclave. —

Olesya Vartanyan, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2023 Morocco has in recent years worked to prevent border crossings to Spain’s two North African exclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, and boat crossings through the Strait of Gibraltar. —

Sam Metz, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024 Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhichevan is separated from Azerbaijan by a narrow strip of southern Armenia. —

Olesya Vartanyan, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2023 Observers fear that Azerbaijan might be preparing another offensive, with the goal of securing a route to its own exclave of Nakhichevan—a region of around 100,000 people that is separated from Azerbaijan by a sliver of Armenian territory. —

Olesya Vartanyan, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for exclave

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exclave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.