sequestered

Sequestered is the past participle of the verb sequester and is used as an adjective to describe something that has been set apart, isolated, or kept out of general use. The term comes from the Latin sequestrare, meaning to set aside, and from sequestrum, a thing set apart.

In legal and governmental contexts, sequestration can refer to several related actions. A court may seize or place assets into the custody of a trustee to satisfy a judgment or protect creditors. A court may also sequester a jury or panel, isolating it from outside contact during a trial to prevent influence by external information or publicity.

In environmental policy and science, sequestration most often refers to carbon sequestration, the capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change. This can occur biologically, through forests and soils that absorb CO2, or geologically, by injecting CO2 into deep rock formations, depleted oil or gas reservoirs, or saline aquifers.

In ordinary usage, sequestered describes things or people kept apart or hidden away, such as a group placed in isolation or a place that is remote or secluded. The sense of setting something aside or withdrawing it from general access underpins the broad, interdisciplinary use of the term.