Where does “isle” come from?

Isle comes from Middle French isle, from Latin īsla, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-, meaning to be narrow or confined.

isle (English): A island, compare with islet; Obsolete form of...

Definitions

  1. A island, compare with islet; Obsolete form of...

Ancestry of “isle”, step by step

isle traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English aisle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishaisleA wing of a building, notably in a church...
2Middle Englisheleeel
3Old Englisheleoil
4Proto-Germanic*oli—
5Latinoleumolive oil; the palaestra
6Ancient Greekἔλαιονolive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any...
7Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
8Proto-Hellenicelaíwā—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom—

via Middle English yle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishyleMatter; Isle, island
2Old Frenchisleisland
3Vulgar Latinisula—
4LatinĪnsula—
5Proto-Italicenselā—

via Middle English ile

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishile—
2Old Frenchille—

Words derived from “isle”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European loiwom →Every word from Proto-Hellenic elaíwā →Every word from Ancient Greek ἐλαία →