quarantine

quar-an-tine · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A period of isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

  2. 2.

    A place where people or animals are kept in isolation.

  3. 3.

    [as verb]To place in isolation to prevent disease spread.

Forms

plural: quarantines

Related words

See also: isolation, lockdown, pandemic
Synonyms: isolation, seclusion

Etymology

From Italian quarantina ("forty days"), from quaranta ("forty"). Originally referred to the 40-day isolation period for ships arriving in Venice during plague epidemics.