Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "insulator" wani abu ne ko wani abu wanda ba ya saurin tafiyar da wutar lantarki, zafi, ko sauti. Ana amfani da insulator don keɓe, kariya, ko hana canja wurin makamashi, zafi, ko sauti tsakanin abubuwa biyu ko fiye da haka. Misalai na insulators sun haɗa da roba, filastik, gilashi, iska, da itace. A cikin aikin injiniyan lantarki, ana amfani da insulators don kare wayoyi da kayan aiki daga wutar lantarki da kuma hana girgiza wutar lantarki. A cikin insulation na thermal, ana amfani da insulators don hana canja wurin zafi tsakanin abubuwa masu yanayin zafi daban-daban.