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cordon sanitaire

[ French kawr-dawn sa-nee-ter ]

noun

, plural cor·dons sa·ni·taires [kaw, r, -daw, n, sa-nee-, ter].
  1. a line around a quarantined area guarded to prevent the spread of a disease by restricting passage into or out of the area.
  2. a group of neighboring, generally neutral states forming a geographical barrier between two states having aggressive military or ideological aims against each other.


cordon sanitaire

/ kɔrdɔ̃ sanitɛr /

noun

  1. a guarded line serving to cut off an infected area
  2. a line of buffer states, esp when protecting a nation from infiltration or attack
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of cordon sanitaire1

From French, dating back to 1840–50; cordon, sanitary
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cordon sanitaire1

C19: literally: sanitary line
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Example Sentences

A proposal by President Carranza to draw a cordon sanitaire round the place has not yet reached Washington.

The plague is raging with unwonted fatality; but no cordon sanitaire is established—no adequate remedy sought.

Some of the French statesmen occasionally say what is not true (cordon sanitaire); here they conceal the truth.

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