What is the difference between atoll and island?
atoll | island |
A type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls.
A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.
* 2002 , Gordon L. Rottman, World War 2 Pacific island guide
An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.
* 1939 , Deseret News, October 27 1939, Roosevelt Reaffirms American Neutrality
A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck.
(chiefly, UK) A traffic island.
To surround with water; make into an island
* 1933 , Harriet Monroe, Poetry: Volume 42
To set, dot (as if) with islands
To isolate
* , (A Shropshire Lad), XXVII, lines 1-2
As nouns the difference between atoll and island
is that atoll is a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls while island is a contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, totally surrounded by water.As a verb island is
to surround with water; make into an island.As a proper noun Island is
long Island (in New York State.atoll
English
(wikipedia atoll)Noun
(en noun)Anagrams
* ----island
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (nonstandard) * (l), (l), (l) (obsolete)Noun
(en noun)- Sumatra is the second largest island in the East Indies and the fourth largest in the world covering 182,859 square miles.
- an island of tranquility (a calm place surrounded by a noisy environment)
- an island of colour on a butterfly's wing
- King Leopold, speaking in fluent English during his six minute broadcast, said Belgium stood side by side with Holland "an Island of peace in the interests of all"
- the island in the middle of a roundabout
Synonyms
* (land surrounded by water) (l), (l) * (an entity surrounded by other very different entities) oasisDerived terms
* coney island * desert island * floating island * heat island * high island * interisland * islander * island dispenser * island display * island-hop * island position * island state * island universe * islandwide * islandy * low island * no man is an island * safety island * security island * the Island * sea-island * tidal islandVerb
(en verb)- We paused at little river cities along the way and walked upon their bushy dikes, and heard tales of overflows in flood seasons, when four feet or more of water islanded the houses.
- ''High the vanes of (Shrewsbury) gleam
- Islanded in Severn stream''.