islet

noun

is·​let ˈī-lət 

1

: a little island

2

: islet of langerhans

Synonyms

• island
• isle

Examples of islet in a Sentence

landed the boat on a tiny islet that we had all to ourselves

Recent Examples on the Web

The researchers wanted to develop a less invasive technique that allowed donor islets to be implanted in a site that was more accessible, such as under the skin, and that enabled the islets’ indefinite survival. —Paul McClure 23, New Atlas, 23 Feb. 2025

Given the size of the islet and the river’s current, her body could have been washed away. —Lauren Markham, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025

Spend your days exploring the incredibly islets and your evenings appreciating some of the world’s most unforgettable sunsets. —Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

The Maldives Best for: Romance, castaway vibes, and overwater excess Dotted across an astoundingly blue Indian Ocean is Asia’s smallest country, an archipelago of 1,192 coralline islets, only 200 of which are inhabited. —Paul Rubio, AFAR Media, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing islet

• islet of Langerhans

Rhymes for islet

• eyelet
• pilot
• stylet
• autopilot

Kids Definition

islet

noun

is·​let ˈī-lət 

1

: a little island

2

: islet of Langerhans

Medical Definition

islet

noun

is·​let ˈī-lət 

: a small isolated mass of one type of tissue within a different type

specifically : islet of langerhans