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islander

American  
[ahy-luhn-der] / ˈaɪ lən dər /

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of an island.


islander British  
/ ˈaɪləndə /

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of an island

  2. (capital) a native or inhabitant of the Pacific Islands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of islander

First recorded in 1540–50; island + -er 1


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Recalling one such journey, islander Tony Usman said "it was very scary", as the poor weather made the transfer from a small boat to the ferry treacherous.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

“It was dark yellow, sometimes black,” one islander told Robie.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025

Former islander Indiyah Polack is hosting the show's official podcast, and she tells Newsbeat it's likely islanders will need fewer icebreakers "because everyone's familiar".

From BBC ● Jan. 15, 2024

I am not an islander but I am a proud Washingtonian who feels like our ferry system should be one of the top sources of state pride.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 1, 2023

No one who’s ever been as cold as a New England islander in February would care more about gold than coal.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

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