isle

American  

[ahyl] / aɪl /

noun

isles plural

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

Derived Forms

• isleless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• isles
  plural

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

A hosepipe ban is being introduced for about one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for a second year in a row.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

Doctors on the Isle of Man have voted in support of taking strike action in a row over "pay erosion".

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

A series of herring gulls have been found doused in oil in the west of the Isle of Man, prompting concerns from conservationists.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

Reserves officer for Central Rivers and Downs with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Andy Reeves, grins and updates his chart.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

We don’t have to leave Insmire to get to the High King’s palace, but we do skirt the edge of two other tiny islands, Insmoor, Isle of Stone, and Insweal, Isle of Woe.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• archipelago
• enclave
• islet
• peninsula
• reef