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

These two West African countries helped the United States strengthen the quarantine around Cuba and prevent further nuclear weapons from arriving. —Time, 28 Oct. 2025

Sheriff's deputies arrested him for violating the lockdown, charging him with unlawful assembly and violating quarantine orders. —Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Oct. 2025

Verb

Soon after, Sam is quarantined and isolated in a remote house for decontamination, overseen by a Pentagon Army General (Laurence Fishburne). —Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

Pets may need to be quarantined to ensure rabies is not transmitted. —Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for quarantine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

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