island

Meanings

Plural: islands

Noun

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
a zone or area resembling an island
A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.
A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, partially surrounded by water; A peninsula; A half-island.
An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.
A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck.
A traffic island.
A roundabout; a traffic circle.
A bench, counter, etc., that is not connected to a wall or other furniture and which can be used from any side.
An unincorporated area wholly surrounded by one or more incorporated areas.
A phrase from which a wh-word cannot be extracted without yielding invalid grammar.

Verb

To surround with water; make into an island.
To set, dot (as if) with islands.
To isolate.

Origin / Etymology

From earlier iland, from Middle English iland, yland, ylond, from Old English īeġland, from Proto-West Germanic *auwjuland, from Proto-Germanic *awjōlandą (from Proto-Germanic *awjō (“island, waterland, meadow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂) + *landą (“land”), equivalent to ey + land.
Doublet of Öland. Cognate with Scots island, iland, yland (“island”), West Frisian eilân (“island”), Saterland Frisian Ailound (“island”), Dutch eiland (“island”), Low German Eiland (“island”), German Eiland (“island”), Swedish ö (“island”), Öland (“Sweden's second largest island”), Danish ø (“island”), Norwegian øy (“island”), øyland (“large island”), Icelandic eyland (“island”).
The insertion of ⟨s⟩—a 16th century spelling modification—is due to a change in spelling to the unrelated term isle, which previously lacked s (cf. Middle English ile, yle). The re-addition was mistakenly carried over to include iland as well. Related also to German Aue (“water-meadow”), Latin aqua (“water”). More at ea.

Synonyms

ait, ey, holm, island, isle, oasis

Scrabble Score: 7

island is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
island is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
island is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

island is a valid Words With Friends word