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| n. 1. A building or buildings, especially a residence or group of residences, set off and enclosed by a barrier. 2. An enclosed area used for confining prisoners of war. [Alteration (influenced by COMPOUND1) of Malay kampung, village, ward or quarter of a town, perhaps of Austroasiatic origin; compare Old Khmer kaṃveṅ, enclosing wall, rampart, nominalization (with nominalizing infix -ən-) of khveṅ, to encircle, enclose : k-, intensive prefix + veṅ, to go around, enclose (akin to Mon waṅ, enclosure, and Koho (Austroasiatic language of southern Vietnam) waŋ, cattle yard).] |
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