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Today’s Word

Part of Speech

noun

Definition

1. A term during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease is held in isolation from the shore, usually forty days.
2. A restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods designed to prevent the spread of disease or pests.
3. A strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

History

This word was first used in the early 17th century and is partly a modification of the French quarantaine. It has also been used in Upper Italian, specifically Venetian, meaning forty days or a group of forty. This word is a derivative of quaranta forty.

Synonyms

confine, isolate, separate

Antonyms

discharge, free, release

Usage and Examples

Here are a couple of examples:

1. Contagious patients were kept in quarantine and treated to stop the spread of the disease.
2. The cargo ship was held in quarantine in the harbor.