island

1 of 2

noun

is·​land ˈī-lənd 

often attributive

1

: a tract of land surrounded by water and smaller than a continent

2

: something resembling an island especially in its isolated or surrounded position: such as

a

: a usually raised area within a thoroughfare, parking lot, or driveway used especially to separate or direct traffic

b

: a superstructure on the deck of a ship (such as an aircraft carrier)

c

: a kitchen counter that is approachable from all sides

3

: an isolated group or area

especially : an isolated ethnological group

island

2 of 2

verb

islanded; islanding; islands

transitive verb

1

a

: to make into or as if into an island

b

: to dot with or as if with islands

2

: isolate

Did you know?

The words island and isle are etymologically distinct. Island can be traced back to Old English īgland, composed of two elements īg and land. Land, as we might expect means “land,” but īg means “island” in Old English. In a sense, then, īgland is “island-land.” The English isle, on the other hand, is derived through medieval French from the Latin insula. In the 16th century, under the influence of isle, the letter s was added to iland, the earlier form of island. The verb island did not appear until the 17th century.

Synonyms

Noun

• isle
• islet

Examples of island in a Sentence

Noun

He lives on an island in the Caribbean.

the island of Hawaii is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But as Maronites increasingly interacted with the island’s majority Greek-speaking population and became bilingual, Sanna evolved to incorporate several Greek words, adding to its uniqueness among the many Arabic dialects. —Menelaos Hadjicostis, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025

Ellie finds a small boat and launches it into the water, but a wave quickly overturns the boat, sending it and her washing ashore on an island off the coast of Seattle. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 May 2025

Verb

So exclusive are the Grenadines that islands like Mustique and Canouan are even known for being where billionaires go to escape the millionaires. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025

The Moluccan cockatoo, which is mostly white except for the coral feathers in its crest, is endemic to the Moluccas, islands off the east coast of Indonesia that are also home to some species of birds of paradise. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 23 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration (influenced by Anglo-French isle) of earlier iland, from Middle English, from Old English īgland (akin to Old Norse eyland), from īg island (akin to Old English ēa river, Latin aqua water) + land land

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing island

• barrier island
• desert island
• floating island
• inter-island
• island-hop
• island universe
• sea island cotton
• traffic island

Rhymes for island

• dryland

Kids Definition

island

noun

is·​land

ˈī-lənd

1

: an area of land surrounded by water and smaller than a continent

2

: something suggestive of an island in its isolation

Etymology

Noun

an altered form of earlier iland "island," derived from Old English īgland "island"; the spelling island was influenced by the word isle, which is not related

Medical Definition

island

noun

is·​land ˈī-lənd 

: an isolated anatomical structure, tissue, or group of cells