isle

isle · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (Literary or poetic) An island, especially a small one.

  2. 2.

    Used in the proper names of islands.

Forms

plural: isles

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    the British Isles — the islands of Great Britain and Ireland
  • •
    desert isle — an uninhabited island, often in stories

Related words

Antonyms: continent, mainland
See also: island, islet, peninsula
Synonyms: atoll, island, islet

Etymology

From Old French isle, from Latin insula ("island"). The 's' was added in the 15th century to reflect the Latin spelling, though it is silent.