Word of the Day

: February 24, 2019

sequester

verb sih-KWESS-ter

What It Means

1 : to set apart : segregate

2 : to seize by authority of a writ

sequester in Context

The reality series will feature ten celebrity contestants who will be sequestered in a haunted mansion for twelve weeks.

"Typically, a judge makes the decision to sequester a jury, often when there is risk that outside interference could affect a juror's ability to be fair and impartial or when there are heightened security concerns." — Lydia Wheeler and Morgan Chalfant, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2018

Did You Know?

Sequester first appeared in English in the 14th century. The word derives from Latin sequestrare ("to hand over to a trustee") and ultimately from secus ("beside," "otherwise"), which is akin to Latin sequi ("to follow"). In this relationship, we can trace links to words such as sequel, sequence, consequence, and subsequent, all of which convey a meaning of one thing following another. These days, we most frequently hear sequester used in legal contexts, as juries are sometimes sequestered for the safety of their members or to prevent the influence of outside sources on a verdict. In a different sense, it is possible to sequester property in certain legal situations.