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Definition of isle
isle
/aɪl/
isle
Plural:isles
isle Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
isle Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
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Wordle Guess
• 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
View all synonyms for isle Antonyms
View all antonyms for isleWord 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
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'isle' (which became modern French 'île'), derived from the Latin 'insula', meaning 'island'.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Isle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/isle