islet

noun

is·​let ˈī-lət How to pronounce islet (audio)
1
: a little island
2

Examples of islet in a Sentence

landed the boat on a tiny islet that we had all to ourselves
Recent Examples on the Web Kinmen was the site of frequent fighting during the height of the Cold War but is today a popular tourist destination, though many of the islets which are part of the island group are heavily fortified by Taiwan’s military and off limits to civilians. Reuters, NBC News, 18 Feb. 2024 Grupo Beta, an aid group with the Mexican National Institute of Migration, rescued the trio from an islet where they were stranded in the Rio Grande. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 Comprising 18 main islands, three smaller islands, and 107 rocks and islets, the Galápagos is home to a remarkable variety of flora and fauna, with many species found nowhere else on Earth. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024 This experience was one of my favorites at The St. Regis Bora Bora, an island paradise located on its own 44-acre motu, or small islet. Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2023 In 1996, the two countries almost went to war over a pair of rocky uninhabited Aegean islets known as Imia in Greece and Kardak in Turkey. Safak Timur, New York Times, 7 Dec. 2023 Greece, which has more than 6,000 islands and islets, has three winners on the list: Paros (No. 11); Rhodes and the Dodecanese (No. 19); and Santorini (No. 25). Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2023 Sunshine sometimes could be seen in the gaps and channels between the countless islands and islets of compact cloud, strewn across the sky. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2023 Muse Villas, a newcomer seeking to offer an elevated resort experience, enables travelers to stay on their own private islet. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'islet.' 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

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of islet was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near islet

Cite this Entry

“Islet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/islet. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

islet

noun
is·​let ˈī-lət How to pronounce islet (audio)
1
: a little island
2

Medical Definition

islet

noun
is·​let ˈī-lət How to pronounce islet (audio)
: a small isolated mass of one type of tissue within a different type
specifically : islet of langerhans

More from Merriam-Webster on islet

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