island

[ahy-luh nd]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR island ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a tract of land completely surrounded by water, and not large enough to be called a continent.

something resembling an island, especially in being isolated or having little or no direct communication with others.

a raised platform with a counter or other work surface on top situated in the middle area of a room, especially a kitchen, so as to permit access from all sides.

safety island.

a low concrete platform for gasoline pumps at an automotive service station.

a clump of woodland in a prairie.

an isolated hill.

Anatomy. an isolated portion of tissue differing in structure from the surrounding tissue.

Railroads. a platform or building between sets of tracks.

verb (used with object)

to make into an island.

to dot with islands.

to place on an island; isolate.

Origin of island

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

Related formsis·land·ish, is·land·like, adjectiveis·land·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for island

peninsula, reef, archipelago, enclave, islet, isle, sanctuary, bar, shelter, retreat, key, haven, refuge, atoll, cay

Examples from the Web for island

Contemporary Examples of island

But Krauss said that from the moment he and the other scientists arrived on the island, they never saw anything untoward.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking
M.L. Nestel
January 8, 2015
Let Jourdan Dunn be the first of many—not an island, or badge of self-congratulation.
One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem
Danielle Belton
January 2, 2015
They were able to purchase weapons and plot attacks on the island without much interference.
Of Cuban Spies, a Baby, and a Filmmaker: The Strange Tale of the Cuban Five
Nina Strochlic
December 28, 2014
They were called La Red Avispa (The Wasp Network) and claim to have successfully foiled a number of threats against the island.
Of Cuban Spies, a Baby, and a Filmmaker: The Strange Tale of the Cuban Five
Nina Strochlic
December 28, 2014
Today, as president, he constantly praises Fidel and Raúl in his speeches and frequently travels to the island.
Venezuela Says Goodbye to Its Lil Friend, While the Rest of the Continent Cheers
Catalina Lobo-Guererro
December 20, 2014

Historical Examples of island

She's sitting up nights to corner all the Amalgamated Hard-luck on the island.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
Then they launched the ship's boat, in which Bates had come to the island, and put out to sea.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
I wonder how it would seem to live on such an island as this?
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
Feeling sure that there was no one on the island but himself, he thought he was deceived.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
And, of this island realm, he and his companion were the undisputed sovereigns.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger

British Dictionary definitions for island

island

noun

a mass of land that is surrounded by water and is smaller than a continent

See traffic island

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 Formsisland-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

Word Origin and History for island

1590s, earlier yland (c.1300), from Old English igland "island," from ieg "island" (from Proto-Germanic *aujo "thing on the water," from PIE *akwa- "water;" see aqua-) + land "land." Spelling modified 15c. by association with similar but unrelated isle. An Old English cognate was ealand "river-land, watered place, meadow by a river." In place names, Old English ieg is often used of "slightly raised dry ground offering settlement sites in areas surrounded by marsh or subject to flooding" [Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names]. Related: Islander.

island in Medicine

island

[ī′lənd]

n.

An isolated tissue or group of cells that is separated from the surrounding tissues by a groove or is marked by a difference in structure or function.

island in Science

island

[ī′lənd]

A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water.