n.
Pronunciation: ' kwo ̇ r- ə n- ˌ t ē n, ' kwär-
Function: noun
Etymology: partly modification of French quarantaine, from Old French, from quarante forty, from Latin quadraginta, from quadra- (akin to quattuor four) + -ginta (akin to intransitive verb ginti twenty); partly modification of Italian quarantena quarantine of a ship, from quaranta forty, from Latin quadraginta ― more at FOUR , VIGESIMAL
Date: 1609
1 : a period of 40 days
2 a : a term during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease is held in isolation from the shore b : a regulation placing a ship in quarantine c : a place where a ship is detained during quarantine
3 a : a restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods designed to prevent the spread of disease or pests b : a place in which those under quarantine are kept
4 : a state of enforced isolation