Insular

Quick meaning: Insular is an adjective meaning Of or being, pertaining to, situated on, or resembling an island or islands.

Meaning

Of or being, pertaining to, situated on, or resembling an island or islands.

More Meanings

1. Separate or isolated from the surroundings; having little regard for others opinions or prejudices; provincial.
2. Having an inward-looking, standoffish, or withdrawn manner.
3. (anatomy) Relating to the insula in the brain.
4. (biochemistry) Relating to insulin.
5. An islander.
6. (linguistics, anthropology) (often with a capital letter) Relating to the varieties of a language or languages spoken chiefly on islands. Insular Latin, Latin as it was spoken in Britain and Ireland. Insular Celtic, the Celtic languages of Britain, Ireland and also Brittany, as opposed to those spoken in mainland Europe other than Brittany. Insular Scandinavian, relating to the Icelandic and Faroese languages as opposed to the ones spoken in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Example Sentences

Near-synonym: islandic

Near-synonym: peninsular

There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes, belted round by wharves as Indian isles by coral reefs—commerce surrounds it with her surf.

Harriet was fretful and insular. Miss Abbott was pleasant, and insisted on praising everything: her only regret was that she had no pretty clothes with her.

Word Forms

• insulars

Synonyms for insular

Depending on context, synonyms include islandic, peninsular, parochial, private, provincial.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include provincial, parochial, private, island, isle, islander.

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