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island

[ ahy-luhnd ]
/ ˈaÉȘ lənd /
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See synonyms for: island / islanded / islanding / islands on Thesaurus.com

noun
verb (used with object)
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as


Origin of island

before 900; Middle English iland,Old English īgland, īland, variant of īegland, equivalent to īeg island (cognate with Old Norse ey) + landland; spelling with -s- by association with isle

OTHER WORDS FROM island

is·land·ish, is·land·like, adjectiveis·land·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use island in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for island

island
/ (ˈaÉȘlənd) /

noun
a mass of land that is surrounded by water and is smaller than a continent
anatomy a part, structure, or group of cells distinct in constitution from its immediate surroundingsRelated adjective: insular
verb (tr) rare
to cause to become an island
to intersperse with islands
to place on an island; insulate; isolate

Derived forms of island

island-like, adjective

Word Origin for island

Old English īgland, from īg island + land; s inserted through influence of isle
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

Scientific definitions for island

island
[ Ä«â€Člənd ]

A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water.
The American HeritageŸ Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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