What does "enclosure" mean?
Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package.
Enclosure
/ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package.
- Grammar: enclosure is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abatis, advanced work, ancient earthen walls, appendix.
- Useful contrasts: absence, expanses, exposure.
- Usage evidence: The point about enclosure is that the configuration of ethnic groups must be clearly described.
How to use "enclosure"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "enclosure" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "enclosure" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "enclosure" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "enclosure" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "enclosure" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abatis" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "enclosure", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package. countable
"There was an enclosure with the letter — a photo."
- 2 the act of enclosing something inside something else wordnet
- 3 The act of enclosing, i.e. the insertion or inclusion of an item in a letter or package. uncountable
"The enclosure of a photo with your letter is appreciated."
- 4 a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose wordnet
- 5 An area, domain, or amount of something partially or entirely enclosed by barriers. countable
"He faced punishment for creating the fenced enclosure in a public park."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 something (usually a supporting document) that is enclosed in an envelope with a covering letter wordnet
- 7 The act of separating and surrounding an area, domain, or amount of something with a barrier. uncountable
"The enclosure of public land is against the law."
- 8 a naturally enclosed space wordnet
- 9 The act of restricting access to ideas, works of art or technologies using patents or intellectual property laws. broadly, uncountable
"Copyright, from day one, was designed to be both an impediment and an incentive, a mechanism of enclosure (one that prevented the unlicensed printing of texts, thereby limiting access) and a catalyst of sorts, a structure to stimulate the production of literary goods by rewarding writers and publishers for their labor."
- 10 The post-feudal process of subdivision of common lands for individual ownership. uncountable
"Strip-farming disappeared after enclosure."
- 11 The area of a convent, monastery, etc where access is restricted to community members. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The point about enclosure is that the configuration of ethnic groups must be clearly described."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "enclosure"?
Common synonyms include: abatis, advanced work, ancient earthen walls, appendix, area, arena.
How do you use "enclosure" in a sentence?
The point about enclosure is that the configuration of ethnic groups must be clearly described.
How do you pronounce "enclosure"?
Pronounced /ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/.
Etymology
From Middle English enclosure, from Old French enclosure, from enclore, from Latin inclūdere, inclūdō, from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Alike to inclusion.