Buffer State
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A small, self-governing state separating two larger states, and thus tending to prevent hostilities between the two. The term seems to have originated on the north- west frontiers of India.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Buffer State” mean?
A small, self-governing state separating two larger states, and thus tending to prevent hostilities between the two. The term seems to have originated on the north- west frontiers of India.
Is “Buffer State” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.