island

Meaning

Noun

1. A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.
2. (broadly) 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. (West-Midlands, broadly) 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. (transitive) To surround with water; make into an island.
2. (transitive) To set, dot (as if) with islands.
3. (transitive) To isolate.

Synonyms

isle

land

islet

insula

low ground

traffic island

insulate

isolate

landmass

median

median strip

mountain

⛰️

peninsula

place

pool

refuge

sandbank

village

waterfront

Shimane

skerry

water meadow

island country

sand-bank

safety island

pedestrian island

safety strip

also

key cay

both

bridge

continent

country

degree

Translations

île

🏝️

isla

🏝️

isola

🏝️

Insel

eiland

🏝️

ilha

🏝️

illa

🏝️

νησί

insula

🏝️

ada

🏝️

جزيرة

🏝️

girav

🏝️

νήσος

iscla

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈaɪlənd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: iland

Inherited from Old English: īeġland

Cognate with Scots: island

Cognate with Western Frisian: eilân

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Ailound

Cognate with Dutch: eiland

Cognate with Low German: Eiland

Cognate with German: Eiland

Cognate with Swedish: ö

Cognate with Danish: ø

Cognate with Norwegian: øy

Cognate with Icelandic: eyland

Cognate with German: Aue

Cognate with Latin: aqua

In summary

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 .

This island is a large dormant volcano .

The ocean has carved large sea cliffs on the sides of the island .