demarcation

noun

de·​mar·​ca·​tion ˌdē-ˌmär-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce demarcation (audio)
plural demarcations
1
: the marking of the limits or boundaries of something : the act, process, or result of demarcating something
the demarcation of property lines
2
: something that marks or constitutes a boundary
a demarcation line
: a marked or perceived distinction between one area, category, etc., and another
The ability to test a theory against physical evidence … has provided a useful demarcation between science and pseudoscience.Norriss S. Hetherington
Certainly no clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and sub-species—that is, the forms which in the opinion of some naturalists come very near to, but do not quite arrive at the rank of species.Charles Darwin
There has been much chatter in recent seasons about the great gender crossover, that deliberate erosion on the runways of a once-rigid demarcation between conventionally feminine and masculine clothes.Elizabeth Paton
… the continued presence in the modern imagination of a sharp demarcation between public and private space.AAG Abstracts

Examples of demarcation in a Sentence

the lines of demarcation between art and entertainment are often blurry
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s also clearer demarcations between casual and dressier fashions. David Moin, WWD, 17 Oct. 2024 Of those, 111 warplanes crossed the Median Line – an informal demarcation point in the Taiwan Strait that Beijing does not recognize, but until recent years had largely respected – and entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Wayne Chang, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024 Video released by South Korea's Defense Ministry shows explosions along roads on the north side of the military demarcation line that separates the two Koreas. Gawon Bae, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024 The announcement heralds a further escalation in activity close to the demarcation line separating the two Koreas, which had been rare in recent years until this year. Reuters, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for demarcation 

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demarcation was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near demarcation

Cite this Entry

“Demarcation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demarcation. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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