quarantine

quarantine /quar·an·tine/ (kwor´an-tēn) (kwahr´an-tēn)

1. restriction of freedom of movement of apparently well individuals who have been exposed to infectious disease, which is imposed for the maximal incubation period of the disease.

2. a period of detention for vessels, vehicles, or travelers coming from infected or suspected ports or places.

3. the place where persons are detained for inspection.

4. to detain or isolate on account of suspected contagion.

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quar·an·tine (kwôrn-tn)

n.

1. A period of time during which a vehicle, person, or material suspected of carrying a contagious disease is detained at a port of entry under enforced isolation to prevent disease from entering a country.

2. A place for such detention.

3. Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease.

4. A condition of enforced isolation.

5. A period of 40 days.

v.

To isolate in or as if in quarantine.

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quarantine

[kwor′əntēn]

Etymology: It, quarantina, forty

1 isolation of people with communicable disease or those exposed to communicable disease during the contagious period in an attempt to prevent spread of the illness.

2 the practice of detaining travelers or vessels coming from places of epidemic disease, originally for 40 days, for the purpose of inspection or disinfection.

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quarantine (kwôrantēn),

n the isolation or confinement of a person or persons with a known or possible contagious disease.

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quarantine

1. a place or period of detention of ships or aircraft coming from infected or suspected ports.

2. restrictions placed on entering or leaving premises or regions where a case of communicable disease exists or is suspected.

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quarantine station

a government institution which houses animals or people that have to serve out a mandatory period of quarantine because they have come from an infected port or been exposed to, or affected by, one or more exotic diseases.

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quarantine

Epidemiology noun A period of isolation intended to control the spread of a contagious infection verb To restrict the freedom of movement in those with–or presumed to have been exposed to–a highly communicable disease, to prevent dissemination. See Notifiable disease, Proposition 64.