insular
Definitions
Interested only in your own group or country and not willing to accept new or different ideas; narrow-minded
狭隘的，保守的；目光向内、排斥外界的
Relating to or belonging to an island
岛屿的，海岛的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedinsul (island) + -ar (relating to) = 'of an island.' That literal sense is real but rare today. The dominant meaning is figurative: islands cut people off from the mainland, so they see less and grow set in their ways. An insular person or community is closed off, inward-looking, and wary of outsiders.
Root insul still carries 7 more wordsWhy It Means This
The leap from 'island' to 'narrow-minded' is one of the clearest metaphors in English. Live on an island and the sea limits who you meet and what you see; over generations, that physical isolation hardens into a mental one. So insular drifted from a geographic label to a personality judgment. Today, calling someone insular is criticism — it means they won't look past their own small circle.
Common Collocations
- 1.insular attitude狭隘的态度
- 2.insular community封闭的社区
- 3.insular outlook狭隘的眼界
- 4.narrow and insular狭隘保守
Example Sentences
- 1.
Growing up in such an insular village, he rarely met anyone from outside.
- 2.
Critics called the company insular and out of touch with its customers.
- 3.
The report warns against an insular approach that ignores global trends.
- 4.
Britain's insular climate is shaped by the sea on every side.
Synonym Comparison
- insular — closed off from outside ideas because of self-containment, like an island
- narrow-minded — the plainest word for unwilling to consider other views
- parochial — limited to local concerns, can't see the bigger picture
- provincial — unsophisticated, lacking the polish of the wider world
- isolated — simply cut off/alone, without the judgmental 'closed-minded' tone