Definition of isolate
isolated
;isolating
transitive verb
1 : to set apart from others; also : quarantine
2 : to select from among others; especially : to separate from another substance so as to obtain pure or in a free state
3 : insulate
From the M-W Editors
Examples of isolate in a Sentence
These policies will only serve to isolate the country politically and economically.
Certain patients must be isolated in a separate ward.
When he wants to work, he isolates himself in his office and won't talk to anyone.
Scientists have isolated the gene that causes the disease.
Origin and Etymology of isolate
back-formation from isolated set apart, from French isolé, from Italian isolato, from isola island, from Latin insula
First Known Use: 1799
1819
First Known Use of isolate
1819
Definition of isolate
1 : an individual, population, strain, or culture obtained by or resulting from selection or separation
2 : an individual socially withdrawn or removed from society
Examples of isolate in a Sentence
interpersonal relationships are very stressful for him, so he lives as a virtual isolate on the Upper West Side of Manhattan
1890
First Known Use of isolate
1890
ISOLATE Defined for English Language Learners
isolate
playDefinition of isolate for English Language Learners
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: to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others
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: to find and deal with (something, such as a problem) by removing other possibilities
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: to separate (something, such as a chemical) from another substance : to get (something) or an amount of (something) that is not mixed with or attached to anything else
ISOLATE Defined for Kids
isolate
playDefinition of isolate for Students
isolated
;isolating
: to place or keep apart from others Isolate any diseased plants.
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of isolate
isolated
;isolating
: to set apart from others: asa: to separate (one with a contagious disease) from others not similarly infectedb: to separate (as a chemical compound) from all other substances : obtain pure or in a free state
Medical Definition of isolate
1: an individual (as a spore or single organism), a viable part of an organism (as a cell), or a strain that has been isolated (as from diseased tissue, contaminated water, or the air); also : a pure culture produced from such an isolate
2: a relatively homogeneous population separated from related populations by geographic, biologic, or social factors or by human intervention
3: a socially withdrawn individual
Learn More about isolate
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for isolate Spanish Central: Translation of isolate Nglish: Translation of isolate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of isolate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about isolate
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