Spanish word

aislar

Pronunciation

IPA/aisˈlaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbisolate

Example

El hospital va a aislar a los pacientes infectados.

The hospital is going to isolate the infected patients.

Illustration for aislar (isolate)

More examples

No debemos aislar a las personas que regresan del extranjero.

We must not isolate people who return from abroad.

Core concept

Person on a tiny island surrounded by water.

Common phrases

  • aislar a alguien

    isolate someone

  • aislar a los pacientes

    isolate the patients

Similar words

separar: Separates nearby people or items into different areas or groups.
apartar: Sets a person or object away from others, leaving it apart.
confinar: Restricts entry and exit to keep someone confined to a specific place.
encerrar: Shuts a person or thing inside a room or area so escape is impossible.

Definition in Spanish

Separar a una persona de un grupo o de la comunicación con otros, dejando a esa persona sin contacto social.

Word origin

From Spanish isla 'island' (from Latin insula), originally meaning 'make into an island', and so aislar means setting someone apart from others.

Usage tips

  • Aislar is used frequently for cutting a person off socially or for medical isolation, while separar is more natural for dividing objects or spaces.

Other meanings

  • ostracizeverb
  • separateverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word