Insulate: The hormone insulin was named… | etymologist.ai
insulate
/ˈɪnsjʊleɪt/·verb·1538·Established
Origin
From Latin 'insulatus' (made into an island) — to insulate is to surround with a protective barrier.
Definition
To protect something by surrounding it with material that prevents the loss of heat, the passage of electricity, or the intrusion of sound; to protect from unpleasant experiences or influences.
The Full Story
Latin16th centurywell-attested
From Latin 'insulātus,' past participle of the post-classical verb 'insulāre' (to make into an island, to cause to stand alone), from 'insula' (island). The Latin 'insula' likely derives from 'in salō' (in the opensea, from PIE *sal-, salt), describing land completely surrounded by saltwater. English uses of 'insulate' began in the 16th century with an architectural sense: to detach a building so it stands
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The hormone insulin was named in 1922 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best because it is produced by the 'islets of Langerhans' — small clusters of cells in the pancreas that resemble tiny islands in a sea of tissue. Thenaming chain runs from Latin 'insula' (island) to anatomical 'islets' to the hormone 'insulin.' A word for geographical isolationended
as electrical engineering emerged. All these senses share the same underlying image: isolation achieved by surrounding something with a medium (air, rock wool, rubber) that interrupts the passage of energy or contact, just as water isolates an island. Related forms: 'insulation,' 'insulator,' 'insulated,' and the back-formation 'insulate' from 'insulation.' Compare 'isolate' (from Italian 'isolare,' same Latin source). Key roots: insula (Latin: "island").