sequester
sih-KWES-ter
/sɪˈkwes.tər/
To isolate, lock away, or store securely—specifically, capturing atmospheric carbon and storing it permanently in soil, oceans, or geological formations.
Emphasizes capturing and permanently isolating carbon so it cannot enter or re-enter the atmosphere.
The story behind the word. From Late Latin 'sequestrare' (to surrender or place in deposit with a third party), derived from 'sequester' (trustee). In legal history, a jury or property was sequestered; environmental science adapted it in the late 20th century for locking away carbon.
Word relationships
- isolate: Isolate means setting apart from others, while sequester carries the connotation of locking away for safe storage.
- lock up: Lock up is informal, whereas sequester is the precise scientific and legal term.
- release: Release means letting carbon go into the open atmosphere.
Commonly confused with
- seclude: Seclude refers to placing a person in privacy, whereas sequester implies setting property or matter aside securely.
Word family
- sequestration (noun): The process of isolating or locking away, especially carbon dioxide.
Collocations
- sequester carbon
- sequester atmospheric carbon
- sequester naturally
- capacity to sequester
Idioms & expressions
- sequester away
Example sentences
- "Peat bogs and mangrove forests sequester carbon at rates significantly higher than dry terrestrial trees." Climate science
- "Engineers are testing underground rock formations that safely sequester carbon dioxide for thousands of years." Environmental technology
Memory hook
SEQUESTER = SECRETLY SEQUESTER carbon deep in the vault. Lock carbon in a natural vault.
When not to use
Do not use as a simple synonym for 'hide'; sequester implies legal or environmental isolation.
Fun facts
- In legal settings, 'sequestering a jury' means keeping jurors isolated from outside news during a trial.
Related words
Explore more words
sequestration, isolate, decarbonize, incarcerate, arrest, remediate
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