isolate

[ verb ahy-suh-leyt; noun adjective ahy-suh-lit, -leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, i·so·lat·ed, i·so·lat·ing.

1. to set or place apart; detach or separate so as to be alone.
2. Medicine/Medical. to keep (an infected person) from contact with noninfected persons; quarantine.
3. Chemistry, Bacteriology. to obtain (a substance or microorganism) in an uncombined or pure state.
4. Electricity. to insulate.
5. Television. to single out (a person, action, etc.) for a camera closeup.

noun

1. a person, thing, or group that is set apart or isolated, as for purposes of study.
2. Psychology. a person, often shy or lacking in social skills, who avoids the company of others and has no friends within a group.
3. Biology. an inbreeding population that is isolated from similar populations by physiological, behavioral, or geographic barriers.
4. Also called lan·guage i·so·late [lang, -gwij , ahy, -s, uh, -lit]. Linguistics. a language with no demonstrable genetic relationship, as Basque.
5. something that has been isolated, as a by-product in a manufacturing process:

   an isolate of soy flour.

adjective

1. isolated; alone.

isolate

verb

1. to place apart; cause to be alone
2. med to quarantine (a person or animal) having or suspected of having a contagious disease
3. to obtain (a compound) in an uncombined form
4. to obtain pure cultures of (bacteria, esp those causing a particular disease)
5. electronics to prevent interaction between (circuits, components, etc); insulate

noun

1. an isolated person or group

Derived Forms

• ˈisolable, adjective
• ˈisoˌlator, noun
• ˌisolaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• i·so·la·tor noun
• re·i·so·late verb (used with object) reisolated reisolating
• un·i·so·late verb (used with object) unisolated unisolating

Word History and Origins

Origin of isolate¹

First recorded in 1800–10; back formation from isolated

Word History and Origins

Origin of isolate¹

C19: back formation from isolated, via Italian from Latin insulātus, literally: made into an island; see insulate

Example Sentences

The problem is not isolated to Scotland, which along with England and Wales has a higher proportion of citizens in prison than most other countries in Europe.

From BBC

Or the TCM could be in an isolated chamber, evacuated of air, which is known as a closed system.

From Science Daily

This means that scientists cannot simply use an isolated pre-fusion F protein as a vaccine -- its structure would change too quickly for the immune system to react.

From Science Daily

The study has broader implications for further research to improve the diets of isolated people, including nursing home residents, by personalising aromas to enhance the flavour of their food.

From Science Daily

Different species of seabirds can coexist on small, isolated islands despite eating the same kind of fish.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• confine
• detach
• disconnect
• disengage
• divide
• insulate
• remove
• segregate
• separate
• sequester