Etymograph

English

insulate

Insulate comes from Late Latin īnsulātus ‘made an island’.

  1. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEīnsulātus‘made an island’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1983insulate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEīnsulātus‘made an island’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1983insulate

Earliest quotation: 1983, Walter H. Lewis, Prathibha Vinay: “Among nonwinged grains, the sexine is rugulate, insulate, or…”

Formed from īnsula ‘isle, island’ + -ate

first attested First attested in the 16th century (as stated in the etymology)

The story

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.

Linked words

through Late Latin īnsulātus ‘made an island’

isolation, isolate, 1 more

Today it means

verb To separate, detach, or isolate.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Late Latin īnsulātus / insulate

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