Involves

Word

Sequester

sih-KWES-ter · verb

To isolate or set something apart; in carbon storage, to keep carbon from entering or remaining in the atmosphere.

Examples

  • The archive sequestered damaged records while conservators assessed them.

  • The project aims to sequester carbon dioxide in rock formations underground.

Origin

From Latin sequestrare, to place in safekeeping, associated with a third party holding disputed property. The common thread across its uses is separation and custody.

How it connects

Sequester means separating something and keeping it apart.

This word appeared in Set apart, then keep apart, the Involves connection for November 3, 2026, which asked: When does moving something away count as solving the problem?

Check yourself

Which action best fits sequester?

Isolating a substance so it stays apart from its surroundings. Exactly. Sequestration involves separation or isolation; it does not necessarily involve destruction.

What the sources establish

  • Sequester means to isolate or set apart and derives from Latin language of custody; carbon sequestration involves keeping carbon out of the atmosphere.

Sources