How to Pronounce Isolation
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Isolation Pronunciation
eye-soh-LAY-shun
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
eye
soh
LAY
stress here
shun
4 syllables
What is Isolation?
The separation of a person who is known to be infected with a contagious disease from those who are not infected, to prevent the spread of the pathogen. Medical isolation applies to confirmed infectious patients; it may involve specific precautions (contact, droplet, or airborne precautions) depending on the route of transmission.
Questions About Isolation
How do you pronounce 'isolation'?
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Say it like this: eye-soh-LAY-shun. Break it into four syllables: eye-soh-LAY-shun. The stress falls on the third syllable, so you say it a bit louder and longer: LAY. A common mistake is stressing the first or second syllable instead, but the correct way puts the emphasis on that middle 'LAY' sound.
What does 'isolation' mean in plain English?
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Isolation means keeping someone separate from others. In medical terms, it refers to separating a person who has a contagious illness from people who don't have it, so the illness doesn't spread to them.
How do you break the word 'isolation' into syllables?
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The word divides into four syllables: i-so-la-tion. When you say it out loud, you'll hear four distinct beats: eye-soh-LAY-shun.
Which syllable gets the stress in 'isolation'?
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The third syllable gets the stress: iso-LAY-tion. You pronounce it a bit louder and longer than the other syllables. If you stress the first syllable instead (I-so-la-tion), that's incorrect.
What is the root origin of the word 'isolation'?
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The word comes from the Latin root 'isolatus,' which means 'separated' or 'alone.' The root comes from the Latin word 'insula,' meaning 'island'—the idea being that an island is separated from the mainland, just like an isolated person is separated from others.
What other medical words share the same root as 'isolation'?
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The word 'isolate' is the verb form (to isolate someone), and 'isolated' is the adjective form (an isolated case). You might also hear 'isolator,' which is a physical barrier or device used in medical settings.
How would you use 'isolation' in a simple sentence?
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You might hear: 'The patient is in isolation to protect other patients from getting sick.' This sentence tells you that the person is being kept separate from others for safety reasons.
What is a common mispronunciation of 'isolation'?
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People sometimes say eye-so-LAY-shun with equal stress on the second and third syllables, or they stress the first syllable: EYE-so-lay-shun. The correct way is to make the third syllable (LAY) clearly the loudest and longest.