island

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈaɪlənd/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈaɪlənd/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ī′lənd)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
is•land /ˈaɪlənd/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Geographyan area of land completely surrounded by water but not large enough to be called a continent.
  2. something resembling an island, esp. in being isolated:Her desk was an island of tranquillity in all the hubbub and chaos around her.
  3. Architecturea freestanding unit with a counter on top, located so as to permit access from all sides.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
is•land  (ī′lənd),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Geographya tract of land completely surrounded by water, and not large enough to be called a continent.
  2. something resembling an island, esp. in being isolated or having little or no direct communication with others.
  3. Architecturea raised platform with a counter or other work surface on top situated in the middle area of a room, esp. a kitchen, so as to permit access from all sides.
  4. See safety island. 
  5. a low concrete platform for gasoline pumps at an automotive service station.
  6. a clump of woodland in a prairie.
  7. an isolated hill.
  8. Anatomyan isolated portion of tissue differing in structure from the surrounding tissue.
  9. Rail Transporta platform or building between sets of tracks.

v.t. 
  1. to make into an island.
  2. to dot with islands.
  3. to place on an island;
    isolate.
  • bef. 900; Middle English iland, Old English īgland, īland, variant of īegland, equivalent. to īeg island (cognate with Old Norse ey) + land land; spelling, spelled with -s- by association with isle
is′land•ish, is′land•like′, adj. 
is′land•less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
island /ˈaɪlənd/ n
  1. a mass of land that is surrounded by water and is smaller than a continent
  2. See traffic island
  3. a part, structure, or group of cells distinct in constitution from its immediate surroundings
    Related adjective(s): insular
 vb (transitive) rare
  1. to cause to become an island
  2. to intersperse with islands
  3. to place on an island; insulate; isolate
Etymology: Old English īgland, from īg island + land; s inserted through influence of isleˈisland-ˌlike adj
'island' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ac - Achill Island - Admiralty Islands - Aegina - Aeolis - aisle - ait - Alcatraz - Alderney - Ålesund - Alexander I Island - Althorp House - Ambon - amboyna - Amoy - Andros - Anglesey - Anguilla - anoa - Anticosti - Antigua - Aoraki/Mount Cook - Arethusa - Arran - Aruba - Ascension - Asia - Atlantic City - Atlantic Provinces - Auckland - Australia - Avalon - Bacolod - Baffin Bay - Baffin Island - Bali - Ballantyne - Banaba - Banaban - Bangka - Banks Island - bar - Baranof Island - Barbados - Barbuda - Barra - Basilan - Basse-Terre - Bastia - Batavia
Synonyms: isle, islet, key, cay, atoll, more...
Collocations: a [tropical, sandy, rocky, desert, deserted] island, an island nation, a [remote, small, large] island, more...

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