insular

[ in-suh-ler, ins-yuh- ]

/ ˈɪn sə lər, ˈɪns yə- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR insular ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to an island or islands: insular possessions.

dwelling or situated on an island.

forming an island: insular rocks.

detached; standing alone; isolated.

of, relating to, or characteristic of islanders.

narrow-minded or illiberal; provincial: insular attitudes toward foreigners.

Pathology. occurring in or characterized by one or more isolated spots, patches, or the like.

Anatomy. pertaining to an island of cells or tissue, as the islets of Langerhans.

noun

an inhabitant of an island; islander.

Origin of insular

From the Late Latin word insulāris, dating back to 1605–15. See insula, -ar¹

OTHER WORDS FROM insular

in·su·lar·ism, noun in·su·lar·i·ty, noun in·su·lar·ly, adverb in·ter·in·su·lar, adjective

trans·in·su·lar, adjective un·in·su·lar, adjective

Words nearby insular

insufflate, insufflation, insufflation anesthesia, insula, insulant, insular, insular celtic, insularize, insulate, insulating tape, insulation

Example sentences from the Web for insular

But the sad reality is that the comics industry is too insular to foster any kind of radical change.

DC Comics’ Diversity Crisis: Why the Status Quo Rules |Liz Watson |July 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
All this observation and self-observation possibly says something very depressing about how insular and self-obsessing we are.

Watching Us, Watching Them: On ‘The People’s Couch’ |Tim Teeman |March 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Doing so, he highlighted the degree to which creationism is a decidedly incurious, insular worldview.

The Bill Nye-Ken Ham Debate Was a Nightmare for Science |Michael Schulson |February 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The Executive is elected in broad national elections in which discrete and insular minorities carry less weight.

Senate Democrats Just Took Us a Step Closer to the Imperial Presidency |David Frum |December 1, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

The country, with a population of just 725,000, has an insular nature preserving it as a time capsule.

The Tiger’s Nest May Make You Start Planning a Trip to Bhutan |Nina Strochlic |November 7, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
As a rule, insular countries are richer in cloud scenery than continents.

Beauties and Antiquities of Ireland |T. O. Russell
They form, like the last or insular group, an incomplete circle.

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3 |W. E. Gladstone
It is an advantage in this respect to be some little distance from Rome, and to have an insular position.

Pilgrimage from the Alps to the Tiber |James Aitken Wylie
(a) Insular continents, whose primitive and modern development are marked by remoteness.

Influences of Geographic Environment |Ellen Churchill Semple
The English sparrow pursues his ubiquitous search for food with insular disdain of everything he does not understand.

Sigurd Our Golden Collie and Other Comrades of the Road |Katharine Lee Bates

British Dictionary definitions for insular

insular

/ (ˈɪnsjʊlə) /

adjective

of, relating to, or resembling an island

remote, detached, or aloof

illiberal or narrow-minded

isolated or separated

Derived forms of insular

insularism or insularity (ˌɪnsjʊˈlærɪtɪ), noun insularly, adverb

Word Origin for insular

C17: from Late Latin insulāris, from Latin insula island, isle

Medical definitions for insular

insular

[ ĭn′sə-lər, ĭns′yə- ]

adj.

Of or being an isolated tissue or island of tissue.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

insular

adjective

noun

Origin of insular

OTHER WORDS FROM insular

Words nearby insular

Example sentences from the Web for insular

British Dictionary definitions for insular

adjective

Derived forms of insular

Word Origin for insular

Medical definitions for insular

adj.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

insular

adjective

noun

Origin of insular

OTHER WORDS FROM insular

Words nearby insular

Words related to insular

Example sentences from the Web for insular

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for insular

adjective

Derived forms of insular

Word Origin for insular

Medical definitions for insular

adj.

British Dictionary definitions for insular