island

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.

noun

1. A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.
   Sumatra is the second largest island in the East Indies and the fourth largest in the world covering 182,859 square miles. 2002, Gordon L. Rottman, World War 2 Pacific island guide
2. (by extension, in place names) A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, partially surrounded by water; A peninsula; A half-island.
   Despite its name, Barry Island is actually a peninsula
3. An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.
   an island of tranquility (a calm place surrounded by a noisy environment)
   an island of colors on a butterfly's wing
   He was on the ball in a flash, swerving to the left of City’s goalkeeper, Ederson, before shaping his body for a tricky angled finish. He was an island of composure, floating in his 39th goal of the season with a delicate chip into the corner. 10 April 2018, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London)
   King Leopold, speaking in fluent English during his six minute broadcast, said Belgium stood side by side with Holland "an Island of peace in the interests of all" October 27 1939, Deseret News, Roosevelt Reaffirms American Neutrality
4. A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck.
5. A traffic island.
   the island in the middle of a roundabout
6. (by extension, West Midlands dialect) A roundabout; A traffic circle.
   Dunton island, near Birmingham, is one of the most confusingly labelled islands in the U.K.
   In Coventry, you will often hear people say: “Turn right at the island”.
7. A bench, counter, etc., that is not connected to a wall or other furniture and which can be used from any side.
   A short, rather studious young woman on noticing him moved from behind an island counter. 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XXII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 216
8. (government) An unincorporated area wholly surrounded by one or more incorporated areas.
9. (grammar) A phrase from which a wh-word cannot be extracted without yielding invalid grammar.
   Adverbial subordinate clauses are islands for extraction: "They have a billion dollars of inventory that they don't know where *(it) is".

verb

1. (transitive) To surround with water; make into an island.
   We paused at little river cities along the way and walked upon their bushy dikes, and heard tales of overflows in flood seasons, when four feet or more of water islanded the houses. 1933, Harriet Monroe, Poetry, volume 42
   The car soon seemed islanded in water. 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 138
2. (transitive) To set, dot (as if) with islands.
   God dwells in light! Before the ocean of unmeasured space, was islanded with stars serenely bright, reflecting back the radiance of his face - he dwelt above in heaven’s immortal bliss, thinking into existence that which is. 1842, T.H.Chivers, “The Song of Seralim: A Celestial Melologue”, in Magnolia; Or Southern Appalachian - Vol. II - No.1, page 52
   This Apulia is a land of vast pastures and cornfields and olive gardens, islanded with many rich cities, notable if only for the splendour of their churches,[…] 1915, Edward Hutton, Naples and Southern Italy, page 22
   She knew that the town was islanded with many waters - the Hudson, the Harlem and the East rivers, and the Bay - but the rivers were hard to find in the universal velvetiness. 1930, Rupert Hughes, Ladies’ Man, page 143
3. (transitive) To isolate.
   High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam Islanded in Severn stream. 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XXVII, lines 1-2