a thing resembling an island, especially in being isolated, detached, or surrounded in some way:the university is the last island of democracy in this country
a freestanding kitchen cupboard unit with a countertop, allowing access from all sides.
2 Anatomy a detached portion of tissue or group of cells.Compare with islet.
verb
[with object] literary
make into or like an island; place or enclose on or as on an island; isolate:islanded among the new stores, these houses were valuable propertythe house where she has been islanded
Origin:
Old Englishīegland, from īeg 'island' (from a base meaning 'watery, watered') + land. The change in the spelling of the first syllable in the 16th century was due to association with the unrelated word isle
