insular

[ in-suh-ler, ins-yuh- ]
See synonyms for insular on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. narrow-minded or illiberal; provincial: insular attitudes toward foreigners.

  2. standing alone; detached; isolated: an insular building.

  1. of or relating to an island or islands: a nation's insular possessions.

  2. dwelling or situated on an island.

  3. forming an island: insular rocks.

  4. of, relating to, or characteristic of islanders or isolated people: insular tribes;insular sects.

  5. Pathology. occurring in or characterized by one or more isolated spots, patches, or the like.

  6. Anatomy. pertaining to an island of cells or tissue, as the islets of Langerhans.

noun
  1. an inhabitant of an island; islander.

Origin of insular

1
From the Late Latin word insulāris, dating back to 1605–15. See insula, -ar1

Other words from insular

  • in·su·lar·ism, noun
  • in·su·lar·i·ty [in-suh-lar-i-tee, ins-yuh-] /ˌɪn sə ˈlær ɪ ti, ˈɪns yə-/ noun
  • in·su·lar·ly, adverb
  • in·ter·in·su·lar, adjective
  • trans·in·su·lar, adjective
  • un·in·su·lar, adjective

Words Nearby insular

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use insular in a sentence

  • From this point of view, the superiority of the continental over the insular colonies was not to be doubted.

  • Horses and dresses are found in the insular forms, but, so far, I have not found a single instance of the tournament.

    The Three Days' Tournament | Jessie L. Weston
  • The true causes of the depression were not within the control of the insular Government or of any ruling factor.

    The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
  • Of the taxes accruing to the insular Treasury under the above law, 10 per cent.

    The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
  • The insular failing is elsewhere frequently displayed by the poet in the trying light cast from a misanthrope genius.

British Dictionary definitions for insular

insular

/ (ˈɪnsjʊlə) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or resembling an island

  2. remote, detached, or aloof

  1. illiberal or narrow-minded

  2. isolated or separated

Origin of insular

1
C17: from Late Latin insulāris, from Latin insula island, isle

Derived forms of insular

  • insularism or insularity (ˌɪnsjʊˈlærɪtɪ), noun
  • insularly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012