Isolate
/ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/noun
To set apart from others or make separate.
Did you know?‘Isolate’ comes from Italian isola, “island,” ultimately from Latin insula, and the same ancient root also gave English words like “insular” and “isle,” turning separation into a literal geography of power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*en
“In the root behind Latin insula, the ancient sense was tied to being separate or standing apart.”
Latin
Latin
insula
“Island; a detached block or district.”
Italian
Italian
isola
“Island.”
Late Latin / Medieval Italian
Latin/Italian
insulatus
“Made into an island; set apart.”
17th Century
English
isolate
“To make into an island; to separate from others.”
Modern English
English
isolate
“To place or keep apart from others.”