Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "isolate" []

  • To set apart or cut off from others. (verb-transitive)
  • To place in quarantine. (verb-transitive)
  • Chemistry To separate (a substance) in pure form from a combined mixture. (verb-transitive)
  • To render free of external influence; insulate. (verb-transitive)
  • Microbiology To separate (a pure strain) from a mixed bacterial or fungal culture. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "isolate" in a sentence
  • "HOLMES: Well, one thing that's difficult to understand is what the term isolate means."
  • "You can also use the Portrait mode to reverse the effect, decreasing the depth of field so that an interesting tree you want to isolate from the background will stand out against an unfocused and distant mountain."
  • "When you read ingredient labels look for "soy protein isolate" and "textured soy vegetable protein," which are produced using high temperatures."