Definition

A situation where a person, animal, or thing is kept away from others to prevent the spread of disease.

Example

During the pandemic, many people had to stay in quarantine to avoid getting sick.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new quarantine rules at the airport?

Yeah, it sounds pretty strict now. I hope it helps keep everyone safe.

I guess we'll have to adjust our travel plans if we face a long quarantine period.

For sure! It’s better to be safe than sorry, though.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

To keep someone or something apart from others to prevent the spread of disease or to control a situation.

Example

The health officials decided to quarantine the travelers who had been exposed to the virus.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Did you hear they're going to quarantine the area for a few weeks?

Yeah, I read about that; it sounds pretty serious.

I wonder how that will affect our daily lives if they quarantine us.

Root Explanation

**Quarantine** → It is formed from "quaranta" (meaning forty) in Italian, which refers to the practice of isolating individuals for forty days to prevent the spread of disease. The word "quarantine" means a period of isolation to prevent contagion.

Memory Tip

Imagine a time when people were isolated for 'forty' days to stop the spread of illness — that's how 'quarantine' came to mean a period of isolation.

Visually Confused Words