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Definition of isle

isle

/aɪl/
isle
Plural:isles
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isle Lexical Profile

isle Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A geographically distinct landmass surrounded by water, typically smaller than a continent and often referring specifically to a small island or one belonging to an archipelago.

Example

"The ancient mariners navigated their wooden ships toward a rocky, fog-shrouded isle in the North Atlantic."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for isle

Word Nuance & Usage

While synonymous with 'island', 'isle' is predominantly reserved for geographic proper names (e.g., the Isle of Skye, the Isle of Man) or used to achieve a slightly elevated, literary tone.

• Rhymes for isle

• Nearby Words

island
island pit viper
islander
isle
islet
ism
iso

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old French 'isle' (which became modern French 'île'), derived from the Latin 'insula', meaning 'island'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Isle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/isle
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