Insulate
//ˈɪnsʊleɪt// verb
verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To separate, detach, or isolate.
- 2 place or set apart wordnet
- 3 To separate a body or material from others, e.g. by non-conductors to prevent the transfer of electricity, heat, etc.
"Ceramic can be used to insulate power lines."
- 4 protect from heat, cold, or noise by surrounding with insulating material wordnet
Example
More examples"You'll end up getting an electric shock if you don't insulate that wire."
Etymology
From Latin īnsula (“isle, island”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix) or from Late Latin īnsulātus (“made an island”), see etymology at -ate. First attested in the 16th century; the general verb īnsulō (“insulate”) is attested only in New Latin and postdates the English term, but influence from an otherwise unattested Medieval Latin counterpart cannot be ruled out. Piecewise doublet of isolate.
Related phrases
More for "insulate"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.