isle

American  

[ahyl] / aɪl /

noun

1. a small island.

2. any island.

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verb (used with object)

isled, isling

1. to make into or as if into an isle.

2. to place on or as if on an isle.

isle British  

/ aɪl /

noun

1. an island, esp a small one: used in literature and (when cap.) in place names

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Other Word Forms

• isleless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of isle

1250–1300; Middle English i ( s ) le < Old French < Latin īnsula

Explanation

An isle is a small island. The Isle of Capri, off the coast of Italy, is one of the most famous isles in the world. There is no clear agreement on what makes an island an isle. Some people say it's simply a matter of taste: isle sounds more poetic and romantic. Actually, there's no precise definition of island either, other than it's a piece of land surrounded by water and smaller than a continent. A good way to remember that an isle is a small island is that the word isle is smaller than island: this is a little word for a little thing.

Example Sentences

The Isle of Sheppey has not lacked for investment in recent years.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Mr. Stuart’s novel describes the weaving shed of the Macleods, a family on the Isle of Harris.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

John-Calum McLeod, or Cal, returns to Scotland’s Isle of Harris after attending art school in Glasgow and finds it difficult to coexist with his father, also named John, who disdains everything about him.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

On the Isle of Skye at 14:30 a small grass fire took hold near Struan and was put out by three crews within two hours.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

These places he talked of, easterly Rock and the Eyrie, Highgarden and the Vale of Arryn, Dome and the Isle of Faces, they were just words to her.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• archipelago
• enclave
• islet
• peninsula
• reef