insular
Americanadjective
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narrow-minded or illiberal; provincial.
insular attitudes toward foreigners.
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standing alone; detached; isolated.
an insular building.
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of or relating to an island or islands.
a nation's insular possessions.
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dwelling or situated on an island.
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forming an island.
insular rocks.
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of, relating to, or characteristic of islanders or isolated people.
insular tribes;
insular sects.
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Pathology. occurring in or characterized by one or more isolated spots, patches, or the like.
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Anatomy. pertaining to an island of cells or tissue, as the islets of Langerhans.
noun
adjective
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of, relating to, or resembling an island
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remote, detached, or aloof
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illiberal or narrow-minded
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isolated or separated
Other Word Forms
- insularism noun
- insularity noun
- insularly adverb
- interinsular adjective
- transinsular adjective
- uninsular adjective
Etymology
Origin of insular
From the Late Latin word insulāris, dating back to 1605–15. See insula, -ar 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the narrative also shines a crucial spotlight on L.A.’s Asian American community and its sometimes insular approach to handling emotional trauma, particularly mental illness.
From Los Angeles Times
Mr. Carlsson introduces us to this insular, secretive world with the unhurried ease of a seasoned guide.
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.
From Los Angeles Times
"Being a new mum is one of the loneliest times, because you're sort of in this insular bubble," she says.
From BBC
The agency was just like the Saginaw he’d run from, Dudek said: an insular, hidebound place where everyone knew everyone and they all thought innovation would cost them their jobs.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
