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preenclosure

preenclosure

9.9
Existing before land was divided and made private
  • adjective
  • UK
: anterior al cercamiento
  • Historians study preenclosure communities to understand rural life before land privatization.

Examples

  • Maps from the preenclosure era show a patchwork of open, communal land.

  • The preenclosure fields were shared by villagers for grazing their animals.

  • The preenclosure landscape was vastly different from what we see today.

  • Many historians study preenclosure farming practices.

  • The preenclosure fields were shared by villagers for grazing their animals.

  • Historians study preenclosure communities to understand rural life before land privatization.

  • Maps from the preenclosure era show a patchwork of open, communal land.

Surface Forms

preenclosure positive

Morphology

preenclosure = enclosure (transparent) = pre + en + close + ure

The prefix 'pre-' straightforwardly adds the meaning 'before' to 'enclosure'.

Etymology

Preenclosure comes from pre- ('before') and enclosure (from 'enclose', meaning 'to close or fence off'). It brings to mind open, shared fields before fences and private ownership, so a preenclosure field is one that existed before land was enclosed.