What does enclosure mean?
An enclosure is an area that has been surrounded by a fence, wall, or similar barrier, whether to keep animals or people safely inside or to keep outsiders out. Zoos, farms, and prisons all rely on enclosures of various kinds, from open paddocks to secure compounds. The word also names the act or state of enclosing something, and it carries a more specialized meaning in formal correspondence: an enclosure is any document or item placed inside an envelope along with a letter, often noted at the bottom of a business letter. Historically, the word is inseparable from the Enclosure Acts of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain, which converted commonly farmed land into privately owned fields — a transformation with lasting social and economic consequences. Versatile and precise, 'enclosure' serves equally well in everyday speech, technical writing, and historical discussion.
nounAn area surrounded by a barrier such as a fence or wall, or the act of enclosing something; also, something enclosed or included with a letter.
- An area surrounded by a fence, wall, or other barrier, especially one confining animals or securing property.
- The act or process of enclosing something, or the state of being enclosed.
- A document, item, or amount of money included in an envelope with a letter.
"The deer wandered freely within the spacious enclosure of the wildlife park."
"Visitors watched the lions from behind the glass of the enclosure."
"Please find the signed contract as an enclosure with this letter."
Regular plural, used for multiple enclosed areas or multiple items enclosed with letters.
"The wildlife reserve contains several large enclosures for its big cats."
In 18th-century Britain, the 'Enclosure Acts' fenced off millions of acres of common land — reshaping the countryside and driving the birth of modern industry.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enclosure
Enclosure derives from the Old French 'enclos', the past participle of 'enclore' meaning to enclose, which itself comes from Latin 'inclaudere' — a combination of 'in-' (in) and 'claudere' (to close). The same Latin root gave English words such as 'close', 'cloister', and 'conclude'. The noun entered English in the sixteenth century, initially describing both physical barriers around land and the act of enclosing.
Related word forms
How enclosure is actually used
Neutral in register and suitable for formal and everyday contexts. In British legal and agricultural history, 'inclosure' is a variant spelling found in older documents such as the Inclosure Acts. The business sense referring to an item accompanying a letter is most common in formal correspondence.
Easily confused with enclosure
'Closure' means the act of closing something or bringing it to an end, while 'enclosure' refers to a space that is fenced or walled in, or the act of enclosing.