isolation

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of isolation in English

English Online Dictionary. What means isolation‎? What does isolation mean?

English

First attested in 1800. From French isolation, from isolé, placed on an island (thus away from other people). Equivalent to isolate +‎ -ion.

isolation (countable and uncountable, plural isolations)

(chiefly uncountable) The state of being isolated, detached, or separated; the state of being away from other people.
The act of isolating.
(diplomacy, of a country) The state of not having diplomatic relations with other countries (either with most or all other countries, or with specified other countries).
(chemistry) The obtaining of an element from one of its compounds, or of a compound from a mixture
(medicine) The separation of a patient, suffering from a contagious disease, from contact with others (compare: quarantine)
(databases) A database property that determines when and how changes made in one transaction are visible to other concurrent transactions.
(psychology) A Freudian defense mechanism in which a person suppresses a harmful thought from developing into a train of thought.

From isoler +‎ -ation. Attested since 1774.

isolation f (plural isolations)

isolation; insulation
isolation thermique ― heat insulation

isolation phonique ― soundproofing
(linguistics) isolation (low number of morphemes per word on average)
(psychology) isolation (a Freudian defense mechanism)

isolation nowadays has a connotation of physical isolation or insulation as a form of protection, chiefly of objects.
isolement nowadays has a connotation of isolation in the sense of exclusion.
In older texts, the two may be used more interchangeably.