<P> An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water . Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets , skerries , cays or keys . An island in a river or a lake island may be called an eyot or ait , and a small island off the coast may be called a holm . A grouping of geographically or geologically related islands is called an archipelago , e.g. the Philippines . </P>
what is the term used to describe an area of land completely surrounded by water
island or isle