Dictionary / quarantine
quarantine
- noun
- verb
- from Medieval Latin
A period of 40 days, particularly
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “quarantine” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableuncountableA period of 40 days, particularly
- countableuncountableA period, instance, or state of isolation from the general public or from native livestock and flora enacted to prevent the spread of any contagious disease.
The tourists were put in quarantine to ensure none of them would be able to spread the plague.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableA similar period, instance, or state of rigidly enforced or self-enforced detention or isolation.
What I wish to put under Quarantine are family events—& all allusion thereto past—present—or to come.1816 Nov. 27, Lord Byron, Letter
- countableuncountableA place where such isolation is enforced, a lazaret.
They bring wood, millet, rye, barley, and a little wheat to the quarantine to barter with the Cossaks for salt.1806 April, Reginald Heber, Journal
- colloquialcountableuncountableA period of time where people are not allowed to leave their homes to contain the spread of an infectious disease.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableA blockade of trade, suspension of diplomatic relations, or other action whereby one country seeks to isolate another.
When a great power establishes diplomatic quarantine against them it is well not to go too far on a course on which they appear to be embarking with a light heart.1891 Dec. 16, New York Times, p. 1
- countablefigurativelyuncountableAn isolation of one program, drive, computer, etc. from the rest of a computer network to limit the damage from a bug, computer virus, etc.
Also included is Canary, a ‘quarantine’ program for use as a sample to test for a virus by pairing it with new or suspect programs.1988 Mar. 21, InfoWorld
- countablefigurativelyuncountableThe program, drive, computer, etc. thus isolated.
If they click on the link then they're added to your approved senders list and their message is moved to your inbox; if they don't, the message stays in quarantine.2004 Dec., .Net, No. 131, p. 71
Older & obsolete senses (3)
- countablehistoricaluncountableThe 40-day period during which a widow is entitled to remain in her deceased husband's home while any dower is collected and returned.
- countablehistoricaluncountableThe 40-day period of isolation required after 1448 at Venice's lazaret to avoid renewed outbreaks of the bubonic plague and identical policies in other locations.
- countablehistoricaluncountableA 40-day period formerly imposed by the French king upon warring nobles during which they were forbidden from exacting revenge or continuing to fight.
verb
- transitiveTo place into isolation to prevent the spread of any contagious disease.
Venice began quarantining incoming ships for 40 days in 1448 to prevent further outbreaks of bubonic plague.
- intransitiveTo enter or stay in quarantine, particularly to self-quarantine to avoid an epidemic disease.
International travelers must quarantine themselves at their own expense in a designated hotel for 14 days upon arrival.
- figurativelytransitiveSynonym of isolate more generally.
J.F.K. "quarantined" Cuba rather than blockading it to avoid needless escalation of the conflict.
- figurativelytransitiveSynonym of restrict.
Did any moral taint hang about me that quarantined my entrance into its circle?1850 July 27, Chamber's Edinburgh Journal, p. 49
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- intransitiveobsoleteTo impose a quarantine, to establish quarantine regulations.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (3)
- nounenforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease
- nounisolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease
- verbplace into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons
Synonyms: lazaret, lazaretto, lazar house
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)quarantine
- Medieval Latinquarentena
- Latinquadrāgintā “four tens, 40”
From Medieval Latin quarentena and quarentīna (“40-day period, Lent”) via Middle English quarentine, Norman quarenteine, French quarenteine, and Italian quarantina, via proposed Late Latin *quaranta + -ēna (forming distributive adjectives), from Latin quadrāgintā (“four tens, 40”).
In reference to French politics, calque of French quarantaine after edicts of Louis IX. In reference to a severance of political relations, popularized by the Roosevelt administration's 1937 approach to the Axis powers and the later Kennedy administration's 1962 approach to Cuba during the missile crisis.
Derivatives — words built from “quarantine”
Phrases & compounds
Want to go deeper? See also “quarantine” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “quarantine” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
quarantine n. [F. quarantaine, OF. quaranteine, fr. F. quarante forty, L. quadraginta, akin to quattuor four, and E. four: cf. It. quarantina, quarentine. See Four, and cf. Quadragesima.]
- A space of forty days; -- used of Lent.
- Specifically, the term, originally of forty days, during which a ship arriving in port, and suspected of being infected a malignant contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the shore; hence, such restraint or inhibition of intercourse; also, the place where infected or prohibited vessels are stationed.
- The period of forty days during which the widow had the privilege of remaining in the mansion house of which her husband died seized.
quarantine v. t.
- To compel to remain at a distance, or in a given place, without intercourse, when suspected of having contagious disease; to put under, or in, quarantine.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: A period, instance, or state of isolation from the general public or from native livestock and flora enacted to prevent the spread of any contagious disease.
The tourists were put in quarantine to ensure none of them would be able to spread the plague.
From Toulon... Our Gallyes which were upon the point of finishing their Quarantaine, and entering into this Port, have been hindred from it by th'arrival of three others that were out a roaming.1649, Moderate Intelligencer, No. 236, p. 2279
nounMeaning: A similar period, instance, or state of rigidly enforced or self-enforced detention or isolation.
What I wish to put under Quarantine are family events—& all allusion thereto past—present—or to come.1816 Nov. 27, Lord Byron, Letter
nounMeaning: A place where such isolation is enforced, a lazaret.
They bring wood, millet, rye, barley, and a little wheat to the quarantine to barter with the Cossaks for salt.1806 April, Reginald Heber, Journal
nounMeaning: A blockade of trade, suspension of diplomatic relations, or other action whereby one country seeks to isolate another.
When a great power establishes diplomatic quarantine against them it is well not to go too far on a course on which they appear to be embarking with a light heart.1891 Dec. 16, New York Times, p. 1
President Roosevelt today challenged the effectiveness of a policy of neutrality in keeping the United States at peace and advocated instead a collective ‘quarantine’ of aggressor nations.1937 Oct. 6, New York Herald Tribune, p. 1
nounMeaning: An isolation of one program, drive, computer, etc. from the rest of a computer network to limit the damage from a bug, computer virus, etc.
Also included is Canary, a ‘quarantine’ program for use as a sample to test for a virus by pairing it with new or suspect programs.1988 Mar. 21, InfoWorld
At least one expert says... that a quarantine can be futile if the software is infected with a time-activated virus.1989 Feb. 2, American Banker, p. 8
nounMeaning: The program, drive, computer, etc. thus isolated.
If they click on the link then they're added to your approved senders list and their message is moved to your inbox; if they don't, the message stays in quarantine.2004 Dec., .Net, No. 131, p. 71
verbMeaning: place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons
My dog was quarantined before he could live in England
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
quarantine
/ˈkwɔɹ.ən.tin/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
quarantine
/ˈkwɔɹ.ən.tin/ · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “quarantine” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“The tourists were put in quarantine to ensure none of them would be able to spread the plague.”
Circle the meaning used.
“What I wish to put under Quarantine are family events—& all allusion thereto past—present—or to come.”
Circle the meaning used.
“They bring wood, millet, rye, barley, and a little wheat to the quarantine to barter with the Cossaks for salt.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “quarantine” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin quadrāgintā. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — quarantine
Which meaning, sentence 1: C. A period, instance, or state of isolation from the general public or from native livestock and flora enacted to prevent the spread of any contagious disease.
Which meaning, sentence 2: A. A similar period, instance, or state of rigidly enforced or self-enforced detention or isolation.
Which meaning, sentence 3: A. A place where such isolation is enforced, a lazaret.
Origin: C. Medieval Latin (Medieval Latin quarentena)
Journey: English quarantine ← Medieval Latin quarentena ← Latin quadrāgintā
Some derivatives: K-Quarantine, nonquarantine, prequarantine, quaranteam, quarantine-breaking, quarantinee, quarantini, quarantinism
Original meaning: Latin quadrāgintā — “four tens, 40”
Etymology: From Medieval Latin quarentena and quarentīna (“40-day period, Lent”) via Middle English quarentine, Norman quarenteine, French quarenteine, and Italian quarantina, via proposed Late Latin *quaranta + -ēna (forming distributive adjectives), from Latin quadrāgintā (“four tens, 40”).
Sources: Wiktionary “quarantine” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quarantine#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/quarantine