Ait

Brentford Ait on the River Thames

An ait (/t/, like eight) or eyot (/(ə)t, t/) is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England.[1][2][3]

Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which accumulates. An ait is characteristically long and narrow, and may become a permanent island should it become secured and protected by growing vegetation. However, aits may also be eroded: the resulting sediment is deposited further downstream and could result in another ait. A channel with numerous aits is called a braided channel.[3]

  1. ^ "Eyot". World Wide Words. 21 June 2003. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Definition of eyot". www.dictionary.com. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b Misachi, John (5 April 2019). "What is an Ait? Ait Defintion [sic]". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 30 April 2020.