isle
Americannoun
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a small island.
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any island.
verb (used with object)
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to make into or as if into an isle.
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to place on or as if on an isle.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing isle
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.
Based in the British-owned isle of Jersey, CoinShares previously traded on Nasdaq Stockholm in Sweden.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Like Santorini, Milos is a volcanic isle that is home to one of Greece's most unique beaches, Sarakiniko.
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
The two homes sit on 1.2 acres on the popular vacation isle: a 5,200-square-foot main residence and a two-bedroom guesthouse.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 17, 2025
Directed by Dean DuBlois, it tells the story of how a human and dragon befriend each other, breaking generations of conflict between dragons and Vikings on the fictional isle of Berk.
From BBC • May 7, 2025
Come darkness, we took fire-brands and crossed the isle to the far shore, away from the scornful gaze of rebel and Redcoat alike.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
