quarantine

noun quar·an·tine \ ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn , ˈkwär- \

|Updated on: 17 Aug 2018

Examples: quarantine in a Sentence

Definition of quarantine

1 : a period of 40 days

2 a : a term during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease is held in isolation from the shore

b : a regulation placing a ship in quarantine

c : a place where a ship is detained during quarantine

3 a : a restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods designed to prevent the spread of disease or pests

b : a place in which those under quarantine are kept

4 : a state of enforced isolation

See quarantine defined for English-language learners

See quarantine defined for kids

Examples of quarantine in a Sentence

The infected people were put into quarantine.
The cows will be kept in quarantine for another week.
The dog was put under quarantine.

Recent Examples of quarantine from the Web

Eight of the boys are still under quarantine as doctors examine them for infection.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "The Harrowing Tale Of The Boys In The Cave Is Already Going To Be A Movie," 11 July 2018
After the ceremony, the tree was dug up and put into quarantine, like other plants or animals brought into U.S. territory, and will be returned to the spot.

— Washington Post, "World War I battle of Bellau Wood was a turning point for US," 26 May 2018
After the ceremony, the tree was dug up and put into quarantine, like other plants or animals brought into U.S. territory, and will be returned to the spot.

— raf casert, Fox News, "World War I battle of Bellau Wood was a turning point for US," 26 May 2018
The methods used to treat Ebola patients include quarantine and early care using oral or intravenous fluids for rehydration, according to the WHO.

— susan scutti, CNN, "Ebola 101: Answers to your questions about causes, symptoms, transmission and treatments," 25 May 2018
The post also mentions the military, a quarantine, vaccinations, sickness and blindness.

— dewayne bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Universal: Dead Exposure set to return to Halloween Horror Nights," 26 Apr. 2018
After Naku and Cassius died, the remaining gorillas were placed in quarantine.

— lainey seyler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Keepers at Milwaukee County Zoo worked 24/7 to care for baby gorilla after its parents died," 29 June 2018
After undergoing an acclimation process in quarantine, she was finally added to the 400,000-gallon H-E-B Caribbean Sea exhibit on May 22, Manjarris said.

— alex park, Houston Chronicle, "Texas State Aquarium adds a 'regal' spotted eagle ray to Caribbean exhibit," 7 June 2018
The recovering patients are still in quarantine and are able to speak to their family over the phone.

— swati gupta, CNN, "Nipah death toll rises to 16, but end of outbreak might be near," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quarantine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of quarantine

partly modification of French quarantaine, from Old French, from quarante forty, from Latin quadraginta, from quadra- (akin to quattuor four) + -ginta (akin to viginti twenty); partly modification of Italian quarantena quarantine of a ship, from quaranta forty, from Latin quadraginta — more at four, vigesimal

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1617

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Number-Related Terms

jubilee, myriad, score, twain

quarantine

verb

Definition of quarantine

quarantined; quarantining

transitive verb

1 : to detain in or exclude by quarantine

2 : to isolate from normal relations or communication

quarantine an aggressor

intransitive verb

: to establish or declare a quarantine

See quarantine defined for English-language learners

Examples of quarantine in a Sentence

The hospital quarantined the infected patients.
The dog was immediately quarantined.

Recent Examples of quarantine from the Web

During much of his time at the shelter, Souza's son was alone in a room, quarantined with chickenpox.

— CBS News, "Brazilian mom, son separated at U.S.-Mexican border reunited after she sues," 29 June 2018
In the 1930s, the Nazis falsely claimed Jews carried diseases and had to be quarantined for the good of Germany.

— renée graham, BostonGlobe.com, "The nation’s historical amnesia," 21 June 2018
The unsellable marijuana products will be quarantined for 72 hours, mixed with shredded paper and water and sent to a landfill.

— julia sclafani, sacbee, "Marijuana on clearance as dispensaries sell off inventory before new rules take effect," 28 June 2018
There’s a medical unit with three paramedics, two medical staffers and space to quarantine those who have contracted chicken pox, scabies and other communicable diseases.

— molly hennessy-fiske, latimes.com, "Texas Border Patrol center where immigrant families are separated draws lawmakers, protest," 18 June 2018
Nikita, meanwhile, is quarantined at a local animal shelter.

— greg norman, Fox News, "Utah dog owner facing charges after her husky goes on ‘killing spree’," 31 May 2018
If all else fails, Aarskog is also preparing to quarantine his fish.

— amanda little, WIRED, "The Laser Battle Against Blood-Sucking Parasites of the Deep," 23 May 2018
BrunchCon, a multi-city event dedicated—like brunch—to small bites of food and large quantities of alcohol, is stationary; quarantined, this year, in Brooklyn’s EXPO center.

— kelly conaboy, Bon Appetit, "I Went to BrunchCon, a Convention for People Who Love Brunch," 22 May 2018
Public health workers are now racing to quarantine potential cases in an attempt to limit the disease’s spread.

— dina fine maron, Scientific American, "Everything You Need to Know about the Ebola Vaccine," 17 May 2018

First Known Use of quarantine

1801

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

QUARANTINE Defined for English Language Learners

quarantine

noun

Definition of quarantine for English Language Learners

: the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading
: the situation of being kept away from others to prevent a disease from spreading

quarantine

verb

Definition of quarantine for English Language Learners

: to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease from spreading : to put or keep (a person or animal) in quarantine

QUARANTINE Defined for Kids

quarantine

noun quar·an·tine \ ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn \

Definition of quarantine for Students

1 : isolation of people, animals, or things (as plants) out of a certain area to prevent the spread of disease or pests

2 : a period during which a person or animal with a contagious disease is isolated

3 : a place (as a hospital) where a person or animal with a contagious disease is isolated

History for quarantine

Centuries ago people in Europe did not have a good understanding of infectious diseases. But experience taught them that when ships arrived in port and brought strangers, illness would sometimes follow. In Venice, a port in Italy, the practice developed of holding a ship in the harbor for forty days if the passengers were suspected of carrying disease, especially plague. If no one developed signs of illness, the passengers were let ashore. The word for this period of forty days was in Italian quarantena, a derivative of quaranta, “forty,” and it is a source of the English word quarantine.

quarantine

verb

Definition of quarantine for Students

quarantined; quarantining

: to put or hold in isolation to prevent the spread of disease or pests The infected patient was quarantined.

Medical Dictionary

quarantine

noun quar·an·tine \ ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn, ˈkwär- \

medical Definition of quarantine

1 a : a term during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease is held in isolation from the shore

b : a regulation placing a ship in quarantine

c : a place where a ship is detained during quarantine

2 a : a restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods that is designed to prevent the spread of disease or pests

b : a place in which those under quarantine are kept