Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

floating island

American  

noun

  1. a dessert consisting of boiled custard with portions of meringue, whipped cream, or whipped egg whites and sometimes jelly floating upon it or around it.

  2. a floating mass of earth and partly decayed vegetation held together by interlacing roots, as on a lake: usually formed by the accumulation of plant litter; sometimes artificially built on wooden platforms, as in Asia.


floating island British  

noun

  1. a floating mass of soil held together by vegetation

"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 floating island

First recorded in 1630–40

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:

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Surge, the newsletter world’s floating island of garbage—but a floating island of garbage that fights for you.

From Slate Nov. 2, 2024

“I don’t know if you know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now,” Hinchcliffe said.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 28, 2024

Desserts include a floating island with Japanese-style cheesecake.

From New York Times May 31, 2022

As I was wrapping up my last meal, which concluded with a soft cloud of meringue above a pool of custard sauce — ask for floating island — Jean-Baptiste appeared at the door.

From Washington Post Jan. 25, 2021

Standing on a floating island nearby is Max.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training