noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃən/
US:/ˌɪnsəˈleɪʃən/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N S AH0 L EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of insulating; detachment from other objects; isolation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state of being insulated; detachment from other objects; isolation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any of a variety of materials designed to reduce the flow of heat, either from or into a building.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The act of separating a body from others by nonconductors, so as to prevent the transfer of electricity, heat, or sound
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the act of protecting something by surrounding it with material that reduces or prevents the transmission of sound or heat or electricity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: protection
Narrower terms: lining
8
noun
Meaning 8
the state of being isolated or detached
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the insulation of England was preserved by the English Channel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: insularity, insularism, detachment
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: isolation
9
noun
Meaning 9
a material that reduces or prevents the transmission of heat or sound or electricity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: insulating material, insulant
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: building material
Narrower terms: lagging, corkboard
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English insulate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English insulation From insulate + -ion.
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
մեկուսացում
(mekusacʻum)
— The act of insulating
Armenian:
առանձնացում
(aṙanjnacʻum)
— The act of insulating
Chinese Mandarin:
孤立
(gūlì)
— The act of insulating
Esperanto:
izolado
— The act of insulating
Finnish:
eristys
— The act of insulating
Finnish:
eristäminen
— The act of insulating
French:
isolation
— The act of insulating
German:
Isolation
— The act of insulating
Greek:
μόνωση
(mónosi)
— The act of insulating
Italian:
isolamento
— The act of insulating
Italian:
coibentazione
— The act of insulating
Macedonian:
изолирање
(izoliranje)
— The act of insulating
Macedonian:
изолација
(izolacija)
— The act of insulating
Portuguese:
insulação
— The act of insulating
Portuguese:
isolamento
— The act of insulating
Romanian:
izolare
— The act of insulating
Russian:
изоли́рование
(izolírovanije)
— The act of insulating
Russian:
изоля́ция
(izoljácija)
— The act of insulating
Spanish:
aislamiento
— The act of insulating
Spanish:
aislación
— The act of insulating
Spanish:
insulación
— The act of insulating
Swedish:
isolering
— The act of insulating
Tagalog:
sabukod
— The act of insulating
Finnish:
eristyneisyys
— The state of being insulated
Finnish:
eristäytyneisyys
— The state of being insulated
French:
isolement
— The state of being insulated
Italian:
isolamento
— The state of being insulated
Italian:
coibentamento
— The state of being insulated
Finnish:
eriste
— Any of a variety of materials designed to reduce the flow of heat, either from or into a building
French:
isolant
— Any of a variety of materials designed to reduce the flow of heat, either from or into a building
Indonesian:
isolator
— Any of a variety of materials designed to reduce the flow of heat, either from or into a building
Italian:
isolante termico
— Any of a variety of materials designed to reduce the flow of heat, either from or into a building
Armenian:
մեկուսացում
(mekusacʻum)
— The act of separating a body from others
Finnish:
eristys
— The act of separating a body from others
Finnish:
eristäminen
— The act of separating a body from others
German:
Dämmung
— The act of separating a body from others
German:
Isolierung
— The act of separating a body from others
Greek:
μόνωση
(mónosi)
— The act of separating a body from others
Macedonian:
изолирање
(izoliranje)
— The act of separating a body from others
Macedonian:
изолација
(izolacija)
— The act of separating a body from others
Polish:
izolacja
— The act of separating a body from others
Romanian:
separare
— The act of separating a body from others
Romanian:
izolare
— The act of separating a body from others
Russian:
изоли́рование
(izolírovanije)
— The act of separating a body from others
Russian:
изоля́ция
(izoljácija)
— The act of separating a body from others
Swedish:
isolering
— The act of separating a body from others
Finnish:
eriste
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Greek:
μόνωση
(mónosi)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Indonesian:
isolator
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Kazakh:
оқшаулама
(oqşaulama)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Macedonian:
изолација
(izolacija)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Macedonian:
изола́тор
(izolátor)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Romanian:
izolație
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Russian:
изоля́ция
(izoljácija)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Russian:
изоля́тор
(izoljátor)
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Swedish:
isolering
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources
Swedish:
isolator
— a medium in which it is possible to maintain an electrical field with little supply of energy from additional sources