Phrase guide

cordon sanitaire

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌkɔːdɒn sanɪˈtɛː/
  • US: /kɔːrˌdɔ̃ː ˌsɑniˈtɛr/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: public health

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from French cordon sanitaire.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: cordó sanitari — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Danish: cordon sanitaire — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Dutch: cordon sanitaire — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • French: cordon sanitaire — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Galician: cordón sanitario — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Georgian: სანიტარული კორდონი (saniṭaruli ḳordoni) — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • German: Sperrgürtel — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Italian: cordone sanitario — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Portuguese: cordão sanitário — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Portuguese: barreira sanitária — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Spanish: cordón sanitario — a barrier (physical or administrative) to prevent the spread of disease
  • Catalan: cordó sanitari — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Danish: sikkerhedszone — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Danish: bufferzone — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Danish: stødpudezone — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Dutch: cordon sanitaire — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Finnish: hajurako — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • French: cordon sanitaire — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Galician: cordón sanitario — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Georgian: სანიტარული კორდონი (saniṭaruli ḳordoni) — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • German: Brandmauer — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Portuguese: cordão sanitário — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable
  • Spanish: cordón sanitario — any barrier to the spread of anything deemed undesirable