Alsatia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical term referring to a district or place considered a refuge from the law; originally an area in London known for harboring debtors and criminals; figuratively a sanctuary from legal authority
2. A geographic name once applied to a lawless quarter offering protection against arrest; historically a London precinct famous for sheltering fugitives; metaphorically a safe haven beyond the reach of law enforcement
3. Refers to a specific region famous for its status as a legal sanctuary; initially an area where authorities had limited control in London; used metaphorically to denote a place of asylum from legal jurisdiction

Etymology: Alsace, the border region long contested between France and the German lands, was a place that sat awkwardly outside the usual lines of government and law. That reputation gave London a nickname for a particular district. Around the old Whitefriars precinct, near the Temple and Fleet Street, a sanctuary privilege let debtors and criminals shelter from arrest, so the area became known as Alsatia. The nickname outlasted the privilege. Once the sanctuary was abolished, the name stayed behind as a byword for any district where officers could not easily enter and ordinary law seemed to stop at its boundary.

Synonyms: safe haven, sanctuary, refuge, asylum

Antonyms: danger zone, hostile area