isolate

[ahy-suh-leyt, ahy-suh-lit, -leyt]

verb (used with object)

isolated, isolating 

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 language isolate. 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

Other Word Forms

• isolator noun
• reisolate verb (used with object)
• unisolate verb (used with object)
• isolable adjective
• isolability noun

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

Linda makes dozens of bad decisions in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” many of them seemingly indefensible until you realize that just how utterly isolated she feels.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

However, Macron is appearing increasingly isolated, with even close allies beginning to distance themselves from him.

Read more on BBC

David Platt KC, for the department, said in written submissions that Mr Lambie's "instance of faking" the hearing test in 2011 was an "undoubtedly regrettable" but was "apparently isolated instance of cheating".

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The Fire Department trains to isolate and extinguish these types of fires by “controlling the valves that can restrict the flow” of the fuel, Snow said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The fact it appears to be isolated errors which are proving costly gives Arsenal some hope that there is a clear path to reviving their campaign.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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