isolate
UK[ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt]US[ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt]
v
to separate a person, animal, or thing from others, or to be separated from them.
v
to identify and separate a particular virus, bacterium, or chemical substance.
Etymology
the word 'isolate' entered english in the late 18th century from the italian 'isolato', meaning 'made into an island'. this, in turn, derives from the latin 'insula', meaning 'island'. the conceptual leap from a physical island to the modern abstract meaning of separation is clear: just as an island is separated from the mainland by water, to isolate something is to set it apart from its surroundings. the term was first used in scientific contexts, such as chemistry and medicine, to describe the separation of a pure substance or pathogen, before broadening to its general social and physical meanings.
Analysis
the word 'isolate' is a simplex form derived from a single root. it is not productively formed from multiple, distinct morphemes in modern english spelling.
Examples
the doctor decided to isolate the patient to prevent the spread of infection.
researchers were able to isolate the gene responsible for the inherited condition.
feeling isolated in a new city can be a difficult experience.