Enclosed or controlled by gates, typically referring to residential communities with restricted access or technological systems with controlled entry points.
From Old English geat meaning 'opening' or 'passage', related to Old Norse gat. The modern usage of 'gated community' emerged in the 1980s as a sociological term for exclusive residential developments.
The rise of 'gated communities' represents a fascinating shift in American social geography, where physical barriers replace social boundaries. The term reveals anxieties about security, exclusivity, and social stratification literally built into the landscape.
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