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
Etymology
Origin of insular
From the Late Latin word insulāris, dating back to 1605–15. See insula, -ar 1
Explanation
Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. The adjective insular comes from the Latin word insula, which means “island.” Perhaps less so in our current age of technological and relatively easy travel, island life can still be separated from the rest. That's why insular can mean "isolated from," like if you grew up in a big city then visited a rural place, you may be surprised that stores close early. Such an experience will help you expand your insular views.
Vocabulary lists containing insular
Advanced English Words
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"Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan
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This Week in Words: March 30–April 5, 2019
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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.
Japanese chip makers became too insular, said Koike, and should have teamed up with U.S. firms to stay competitive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
And yet what’s readily apparent is that this weird, fragile, insular family is genuinely keen on folding Tommy into their lives.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
Warsh has described the Fed as insular and committed to outdated economic models.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
From a scientific perspective, warm social contact activates specialised C-tactile afferents and temperature-sensitive pathways that send signals to the insular cortex.
From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2026
Supreme Court—the one branch of government charged with the responsibility of protecting “discrete and insular minorities” from the excesses of majoritarian democracy and guaranteeing constitutional rights for groups deemed unpopular or subject to prejudice.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
