insular — English Dictionary

Adjective

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

   Synonyms

   islandic

   Examples

   Near-synonym: islandic

   More examples (1)

   At the time of the arrival of the Tonquin he had about forty schooners, of from twenty to thirty tons burthen, and one old American ship. With these he held undisputed sway over his insular domains, and carried on intercourse with the chiefs or governors whom he had placed in command of the several islands.

   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.

2. Separate or isolated from the surroundings; having little regard for others opinions or prejudices; provincial.

   Synonyms

   peninsular

   Examples

   Near-synonym: peninsular

   More examples (2)

   During the four years since his puppyhood he had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; he had a fine pride in himself, was even a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular situation.

   Making Sense of the Sixties used the typical Americanocentric documentary style that avoided a world or historical context for events […] Other countries were mentioned only insofar as they disturbed the insular course of events in the United States.

3. Having an inward-looking, standoffish, or withdrawn manner.

   Examples

   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.

4. Relating to the insula in the brain.

5. Relating to insulin.

6. (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.

Noun

1. An islander.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   these insulars in general live in a gross saline air , and their vessels being less elastic are consequently less able to subdue and cast off what their bodies as sponges draw in

Adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island

   Examples

   insular territories

   Hawaii's insular culture

2. suggestive of the isolated life of an island

3. narrowly restricted in outlook or scope

   Synonyms

   parochial

   Examples

   little sympathy with parochial mentality

   insular attitudes toward foreigners