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Glite Dictionary
🚪 To separate 🧪 To purify 🧠 To block emotions
to isolate

to isolate

114 6.2
To get a pure substance from other material for study
  • verb
  • /ˈaɪsəˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aislar
  • She worked to isolate the specific bacteria responsible for the infection.
  • isolate viruses
  • isolate a strain
  • isolate bacteria

A suite of organisms are isolated for each of the region.

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Examples

  • The HPAI H5N8 viruses were isolated from both wild birds and poultry.

    Academic text (2015)

  • By controlling for these variables, we can statistically isolate the unique relationship between behavior and mathematics.

    Academic text (2012)

  • And there are several techniques to isolate the the stem cells.

  • In the past, they were trying to isolate, grow single microbes.

  • Houston passed the recording through several filters and managed to isolate what appears to be a human voice.

    Event Horizon (1997)

  • I had my DNA extracted, I had the gene isolated and I had it tested.

  • Sputum culture is necessary to isolate specific pathogens to ensure appropriate antibiotic treatment is prescribed.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Following the training, rats were killed, and thyroarytenoid muscles were isolated for histology and immunohistochemistry.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Arborville is under quarantine until we've isolated that organism... and checked every living soul for signs of infection.

    The Blob (1988)

  • Since 1985, lentiviruses more or less closely related to HIVs have been isolated from African non-human primates.

    Academic text (2013)

Synonyms

to separate from
vsto isolate
219 2.7

To keep one thing apart from another so they do not mix

focuses on getting a pure sample for scientific study
to extract
vsto isolate
  • Specialized
70 4.1

To get a substance from a plant or material by a special process

focuses on getting the substance in pure form for scientific work
to separate out
vsto isolate
  • Specialized
7 3.7

Remove one part from a mixture using a filter or another method

aims to obtain the component in pure form for research

How Pure

to isolate
  • Specialized
114 6.2
to purify
30 4.6
to refine
  • Specialized
41 3.9
to separate
297 1.9

Surface Forms

isolate infinitive
isolated past
isolated past participle
isolating present participle
isolates third person singular

Morphology

isolate = isola + ate

Although historically built from a root meaning 'island' plus the verb-forming suffix '-ate', the connection to any familiar English base is not form-transparent to learners and the modern senses are metaphorical.

Etymology

The word isolate comes from the Latin insula ('island') and the Italian isola ('island'). So to isolate a substance is to make it like an 'island'—to put it alone and pure so scientists can study it.