noun

1. a land mass not as large as a continent, surrounded by water
2. anything like an island in position or isolation; specif.,
   1. a structure above the flight deck of an aircraft carrier containing the bridge, radar, etc.
   2. a counter which stands alone as in the central area of a kitchen
   3. any of the elevated areas of a service station, having a bank of gasoline pumps a self-service island
3. 1. traffic island
   2. safety island
4. Anat. a tissue or cluster of cells differing from surrounding tissue in formation, etc.

Etymology: < ME iland (respelled by assoc. with unrelated isle) < OE igland, iegland, lit., island land & ealand, lit., water land < ig, ieg, isle (akin to Ger aue, ON ey < PGmc *aujo, akin to *ahwo) & ea, water < PGmc *ahwo, water < IE *akwa > L aqua: see land

transitive verb

1. to make into or like an island; isolate
2. to intersperse with or as with islands a prairie islanded with wooded tracts