islet

/'ailit/

Thân thiện

A small green islet rises from the calm blue sea.

Definition

Noun: 1. A small island: A very small island, often uninhabited or sparsely vegetated. 2. A small isolated area or group: Used metaphorically to describe a small, distinct area that is separated from or different from its surroundings, such as in biological or medical contexts (e.g., pancreatic islets).

Usage and Examples

• Literal (Geographical):
  • We sailed past a rocky islet just off the coast.
  • The bay is dotted with several tiny islets.
• Metaphorical/Biological:
  • The islets of Langerhans are clusters of cells in the pancreas. (Here, 'islet' refers to a small, distinct group of cells within an organ.)

Advanced Usage

• "Islet of...": A common construction to name specific small islands or metaphorical isolated areas.
  • Islet of Patience (a named small island).
  • Islet of calm (a metaphorical small area of peace within chaos).

Variants and Related Words

• Isle (noun): A poetic or archaic term for an island, often used in names (e.g., the Isle of Wight). It is typically larger than an islet.
• Island (noun): The general term for a landmass surrounded by water. An islet is a type of island.

Synonyms

• Key (especially in the Caribbean and Florida): A low-lying island or reef.
• Cay (pronounced 'key'): A small, low-elevation island on the surface of a coral reef.
• Atoll: A ring-shaped coral reef, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon, often with small islets.

Idioms and Phrases

• Islet hopping: The activity of traveling between many small islands, similar to "island hopping."
  • Our vacation involved islet hopping around the archipelago.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a small island

Từ đồng nghĩa

• isle