verb
isolate
To separate someone or something from others.
Where it comes from
Isolate ordinarily means to separate someone or something from others. English isolate was formed from isolated, which came from French isolé and Italian isolato. The Italian adjective was built from isola, island, ultimately from Latin insula, island. Something separated from its surroundings could be pictured as made into an island.
How the meaning developed
The adjective entered English before the verb; speakers then back-formed isolate, turning the condition of being islanded into the action of setting apart.
Sources
- Isolate Definition & Meaning
- Quarantine and Isolation: Explaining the Difference
- Isolate: Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-10-05. Report a correction.