island

Meaning

Noun

1. A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.
2. A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, partially surrounded by water; A peninsula; A half-island.
3. An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.
4. A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck.
5. A traffic island.
6. A roundabout; a traffic circle.
7. A bench, counter, etc., that is not connected to a wall or other furniture and which can be used from any side.
8. An unincorporated area wholly surrounded by one or more incorporated areas.
9. A phrase from which a wh-word cannot be extracted without yielding invalid grammar.

Verb

1. To surround with water; make into an island.
2. To set, dot (as if) with islands.
3. To isolate.

Concepts

island

isle

islet

land

traffic island

insula

low ground

country

sand-bank

isolate

insulate

sandbank

also

both

degree

pedestrian island

refuge

safety island

safety strip

bridge

peninsula

village

landmass

place

island country

skerry

key cay

water meadow

median

median strip

Shimane

continent

mountain

pool

waterfront

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈaɪlənd/

Etymology

From earlier iland, from Middle English iland, yland, ylond, from Old English īeġland, from Proto-West Germanic *auwjuland, from Proto-Germanic *awjōlandą (from Proto-Germanic *awjō (“island, waterland, meadow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂) + *landą (“land”), equivalent to ey + land.
Doublet of Öland. Cognate with Scots island, iland, yland (“island”), West Frisian eilân (“island”), Saterland Frisian Ailound (“island”), Dutch eiland (“island”), Low German Eiland (“island”), German Eiland (“island”), Swedish ö (“island”), Öland (“Sweden's second largest island”), Danish ø (“island”), Norwegian øy (“island”), øyland (“large island”), Icelandic eyland (“island”).
The insertion of ⟨s⟩—a 16th century spelling modification—is due to a change in spelling to the unrelated term isle, which previously lacked s (cf. Middle English ile, yle). The re-addition was mistakenly carried over to include iland as well. Related also to German Aue (“water-meadow”), Latin aqua (“water”). More at ea.

Sentences

It washed away tents and parts of the forest on the island .