traffic island

From traffic (noun) +‎ island (noun).

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˌtɹæfɪk ˈaɪlənd/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪlənd
• Hyphenation: traf‧fic is‧land

traffic island (plural traffic islands)

2. (chiefly UK, road transport) A raised or otherwise marked area in a roadway from which traffic is excluded, so as to direct the traffic flow and provide a safe place for pedestrians to wait while crossing the road. [from early 20th c.]

   Synonym: (US) safety island

   (for pedestrians): Synonyms: pedestrian island, pedestrian refuge, (UK) refuge, (UK) refuge island

3. (rail transport, obsolete, rare) An area where rail traffic is low. [from late 19th c.]

• traffic island on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “traffic island, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, June 2025.
• “traffic island, n.”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.