How to pronounce island
Say it like EYE-lund. Island has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EYE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce island. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EYE
- lund
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: The s is silent. Say 'eye' plus 'lund' and it rhymes with highland.
Island pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EYESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- lundKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of island
American and British speakers say island in essentially the same way: /ˈaɪlənd/ in the US and /ˈaɪlənd/ in the UK.
British respelling: EYE-lund.
What does island mean?
- a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
- a zone or area resembling an island
Where does island come from?
The insertion of ⟨s⟩, a 16th century spelling modification, is due to a change in spelling to the unrelated term isle, which previously lacked s (cf.
Words that rhyme with island
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of island.
Questions about saying island
How do you pronounce island?
Say EYE-lund. The American pronunciation is /ˈaɪlənd/. In British English it is /ˈaɪlənd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in island?
Island has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EYE). Broken into parts: EYE · lund.
Do Americans and Brits say island the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈaɪlənd/ and the British form is /ˈaɪlənd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.