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quarantine
/ˈkwɔːrənˌtiːn/
isolation to prevent disease spread
The government imposed a quarantine to stop the virus from spreading.
The government required people to stay isolated to prevent the virus from spreading.
Medicine
Medical
A period of isolation to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Passengers arriving from affected regions were placed in quarantine for 14 days.
People who arrived from areas with outbreaks were required to stay isolated for two weeks.
Often used in public health to control outbreaks.
Law
legal
A legal restriction on the movement of people or goods to prevent disease transmission.
The port authority enforced a quarantine on imported goods from the contaminated region.
The port officials required imported items from the affected area to be isolated.
Used in international trade and travel regulations.
Technology
technical
In computing, a temporary restriction on software or files to prevent security risks.
The new app was placed in quarantine by the antivirus software.
The security program temporarily restricted the app to check for threats.
Used in cybersecurity to isolate potentially harmful files.
Collocations
quarantine periodthe duration of isolationquarantine rulesregulations about isolationquarantine stationa place where people are isolated
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage in Context
Use 'quarantine' for both medical and legal isolation, but specify the context (e.g., 'medical quarantine' or 'legal quarantine').
Gold Rule
Avoid Overgeneralization
Do not use 'quarantine' for general restrictions unless they involve isolation for health reasons.
Word Origin
From Italian 'quaranta giorni' (40 days), referring to the 40-day isolation period for ships to prevent plague in the 14th century.
Usage Notes
Originally used for ships, now commonly applied to people and goods. Can also refer to digital security measures.
Word Breakdown
quar-
forty
prefix-antine
against
suffixEnglish Dictionary