insular

[in-suh-ler, ins-yuh-]

adjective

1. narrow-minded or illiberal; provincial.

   insular attitudes toward foreigners.

2. standing alone; detached; isolated.

   an insular building.

3. of or relating to an island or islands.

   a nation's insular possessions.

4. dwelling or situated on an island.

5. forming an island.

   insular rocks.

6. of, relating to, or characteristic of islanders or isolated people.

   insular tribes;

   insular sects.

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

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

noun

1. an inhabitant of an island; islander.

insular

/ ˌɪnsjʊˈlærɪtɪ, ˈɪnsjʊlə /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling an island

2. remote, detached, or aloof

3. illiberal or narrow-minded

4. isolated or separated

Other Word Forms

• insularism noun
• insularity noun
• insularly adverb
• interinsular adjective
• transinsular adjective
• uninsular adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insular¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of insular¹

C17: from Late Latin insulāris, from Latin insula island, _isle

Example Sentences

Mr. Carlsson introduces us to this insular, secretive world with the unhurried ease of a seasoned guide.

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For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position - a historic low - because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics, the report says.

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Growing concerns about physical safety and political marginalization are prompting California’s Jewish community to withdraw from civic engagement and embrace more insular communal structures, particularly among Orthodox populations who face fewer barriers to community cohesion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The identity trap distorts our political instincts, making us more attuned to an insular, campus-born ideology than to the common sense intuition of the average American.

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Unlike Chakrabarti, Wiener has also been a part of San Francisco’s insular community for decades, and has his own base of support — though he is considered a moderate to Chakrabarti’s progressiveness.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circumscribed www.thesaurus.com
• isolated 
• parochial 
• petty