quarantine

1 of 2

noun

quar·​an·​tine ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn 

ˈkwär-

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

quarantine

2 of 2

verb

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

Examples of quarantine in a Sentence

Noun

The infected people were put into quarantine.

The cows will be kept in quarantine for another week.

The dog was put under quarantine.

Verb

The hospital quarantined the infected patients.

The dog was immediately quarantined.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The quarantine follows similar measures in New York and Michigan in 2023, where the moth was also detected. —Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024

Their relationship got turned up several notches with the quarantines brought along by the COVID-19 pandemic. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024

Though many would suspect this was due to the pandemic, the trend actually pre-dates quarantines and shutdowns. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024

Districts offered remote options, required Covid-19 quarantines and relaxed policies around attendance and grading. —Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

At the Weston school, the quarantine would be through March 7. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024

The 2020 presidential preference election happened as the nation was in the early days of quarantine for the emerging coronavirus pandemic. —Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024

Those exempt include families with children under 18, those who are currently in the process of securing housing, and people with certain medical issues, including those in quarantine because of a recent measles outbreak. —Daniella Silva, NBC News, 15 Mar. 2024

The 35-year-old actor met the 27-year-old MLB player in a Zoom meditation group during quarantine the COVID-19 lockdown. —Glamour, 11 Mar. 2024

Verb

These data are never going to tell you that this patient should be quarantined, or that a certain family is all infected, since wastewater is collected at the community level. —Simar Bajaj, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024

They are quarantined at an animal shelter in South Windsor. —Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024

Ireland was Bishop’s primary residence up until the COVID-19 pandemic, when the comedian decided to relocate to New York City to quarantine. —Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024

The couple began dating in January 2020 and quarantined together during the pandemic. —USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024

Grande and Gomez also quarantined together during the COVID-19 pandemic. —Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024

The comedian — who uses they/them pronouns — fell in love with the American producer while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic in their home country of Australia. —Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024

On March 26, 2020, in the very early days of the pandemic, Mr. McCaskill packed a duffel bag and backpack and left New York to quarantine with Mr. Johnson in Atlanta. —Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

Household contacts have been vaccinated and are currently quarantining. —Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1801, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing quarantine

• self-quarantine

Kids Definition

quarantine

1 of 2 noun

quar·​an·​tine ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn 

ˈkwär-

1

: a period during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease is forbidden contact with the shore

2

: a limiting or forbidding of movements of persons or goods that is designed to prevent the spread of disease or pests

3

: the period during which a person with a contagious disease is under quarantine

4

: a place where persons are kept in quarantine

quarantine

2 of 2 verb

quarantined; quarantining

: to put or hold in quarantine : isolate

Etymology

Noun

from Italian quarantena "quarantine, period of forty days," probably from early French quarantaine "period of forty days," from earlier quarante "forty," from Latin quadraginta "forty," from quadra- "four"

Word Origin

As bad as contagious diseases are today, they were much more frightening in the Middle Ages. No effective treatment or cure was known then. When it was found out that ships could carry diseases from port to port, authorities acted to protect their citizens. Any ship suspected of carrying a disease was forced to remain offshore for a time. Usually about forty days had to pass before it was allowed to dock. Then if no signs of disease were found on the ship, it was allowed to unload its passengers and cargo. The Italians called this restriction period quarantena. They based the word on a French word quarantaine, meaning "a period of forty days." This French word was derived from the Latin quadraginta, meaning "forty." It was the Italian word that was taken into English as quarantine in the 17th century.

Medical Definition

quarantine

1 of 2 noun

quar·​an·​tine ˈkwȯr-ən-ˌtēn, ˈkwär- 

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

quarantine

2 of 2 verb

quarantined; quarantining

transitive verb

: to detain in or exclude by quarantine

intransitive verb

: to establish or declare a quarantine