From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
island
n 1: a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded
by water
2: a zone or area resembling an island
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Island \Is"land\, n. [OE. iland, yland, AS. [imac]gland, ?gland,
?glond; [imac]g, ?g, island + land, lond, land. AS. [imac]g,
?g, is akin to AS. e['a] water, river, OHG. ?uwa, G. au
meadow, Icel. ey island, Dan. & Sw. ["o], Goth. ahwa a
stream, water, L. aqua water. The s is due to confusion with
isle. Cf. Ait, Eyot, Ewer, Aquatic.]
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1. A tract of land surrounded by water, and smaller than a
continent. Cf. Continent.
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2. Anything regarded as resembling an island; as, an island
of ice.
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3. (Zool.) See Isle, n., 2.
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Islands of the blessed (Myth.), islands supposed to lie in
the Western Ocean, where the favorites of the gods are
conveyed at death, and dwell in everlasting joy.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Island \Is"land\, v. t.
1. To cause to become or to resemble an island; to make an
island or islands of; to isle. --Shelley.
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2. To furnish with an island or with islands; as, to island
the deep. --Southey.
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