islander

noun

is·​land·​er ˈī-lən-dər How to pronounce islander (audio)
: a native or inhabitant of an island

Examples of islander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Meet the Kinmen islanders who want a bridge, not a war At a recent briefing, a senior Taiwan security official said the island’s coast guard is constantly evaluating the need for reinforcements around Kinmen, but has so far maintained its current posture to avoid escalating tensions. Eric Cheung, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 Lead author Silvia Ferrara, a philologist at the University of Bologna in Italy, tells Live Science’s Tom Metcalfe that her team’s research suggests that Rapa Nui islanders invented rongorongo independently, without influence or inspiration from European writing systems. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 To be an islander in the next season, applicants must be 18 years or older and fill out a casting application, mostly consisting of questions concerning the applicant's personal life and dating history. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Mana that many islanders feel – and want to preserve. Daniel Cole, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb. 2024 In Dent’s view, all the focus on whether the islanders had ignored past crimes distracted from suffering in the present. Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024 Other musical devices on stage on Saturday will represent the rich Austronesian history of seafaring, when early islanders took instruments with them in outrigger canoes for the long journey following the currents from Taiwan to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Micronesia. The Arizona Republic, 7 Feb. 2024 But the islanders have emerged with greater appreciation for their community and culture — and created even more compelling reasons to visit. Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024 During the 18th and 19th centuries, production of the moai stopped as the islanders faced enslavement by Peruvian raiders, escalating civil unrest, and disease. Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'islander.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of islander was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near islander

Cite this Entry

“Islander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/islander. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

islander

noun
is·​land·​er ˈī-lən-dər How to pronounce islander (audio)
: a person born or living on an island

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