insulate
v.v. to protect something from heat, cold, or noise by using a material that stops them from passing through. You do this to keep a room warm in winter or a building quiet.
v. to protect from heat, cold, or sound by surrounding with a material that prevents the transfer of energy. Often used in technical contexts regarding building materials or thermal management.
We need to insulate the attic to save on heating costs.
The new apartment building uses thick glass and double walls to insulate the residents from the city's constant noise.
Engineers must ensure that the spacecraft is properly insulated against the extreme temperature fluctuations encountered during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
From Latin īnsula (“isle, island”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix) or from Late Latin īnsulātus (“made an island”), see etymology at -ate. First attested in the 16th century; the general verb īnsulō (“insulate”) is attested only in New Latin and postdates the English term, but influence from an otherwise unattested Medieval Latin counterpart cannot be ruled out. Piecewise doublet of isolate.