insulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cover, line, or separate with a material that prevents or reduces the passage, transfer, or leakage of heat, electricity, or sound.
to insulate an electric wire with a rubber sheath; to insulate a coat with down.
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to place in an isolated situation or condition; segregate.
verb
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to prevent or reduce the transmission of electricity, heat, or sound to or from (a body, device, or region) by surrounding with a nonconducting material
-
to isolate or detach
Other Word Forms
- noninsulating adjective
- preinsulate verb (used with object)
- reinsulate verb (used with object)
- superinsulated adjective
- uninsulated adjective
- well-insulated adjective
Etymology
Origin of insulate
First recorded in 1530–40, insulate is from the Latin word insulātus made into an island. See insula, -ate 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.
Wires should be insulated with silicone rather than PVC, which can crack.
But the series’ creator, Thomas Brandon, has a solution: a room at the Orphanage that is ordinarily used for the review of classified materials and which is insulated from all electronic intrusions.
Firms that cater to higher-income customers, or sell specialized products such as quality yarn, may be more insulated from worries about broader demand, given wealthier households’ resilience in recent years.
From Barron's
It consists of two superconductors separated by an extremely thin insulating layer.
From Science Daily
My friends and I had alpine winter bags that were thick and insulated.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
