archipelago

[ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh]

noun

plural

archipelagos, archipelagoes 

1. a large group or chain of islands.

   the Malay Archipelago.

2. any large body of water with many islands.

3. the Archipelago, the Aegean Sea.

archipelago

/ ˌɑːkɪpəˈleɪdʒɪən, ˌɑːkɪˈpɛlɪˌɡəʊ, ˌɑːkɪpəˈlædʒɪk /

noun

1. a group of islands

2. a sea studded with islands

archipelago

1. A large group of islands.

2. A sea, such as the Aegean, or an area in a sea containing a large number of scattered islands.

archipelago

1. A group of islands near one another.

Other Word Forms

• archipelagic adjective
• archipelagian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of archipelago¹

1495–1505; alteration ( archi- for arci- ) of Italian arcipelago, alteration of Egeopelago the Aegean Sea < Greek Aigaîon pélagos

Word History and Origins

Origin of archipelago¹

C16 (meaning: the Aegean Sea): from Italian arcipelago, literally: the chief sea (perhaps originally a mistranslation of Greek Aigaion pelagos the Aegean Sea), from _archi- + pelago sea, from Latin pelagus, from Greek pelagos

Example Sentences

Boasting nearly 700,000 islands collectively, Sweden, Norway and Finland are home to the most islands in the world, their coastlines dotted by archipelagos that have shaped their history and culture.

From BBC

In 2119, with Great Britain transformed into an archipelago by rising tides, a humanities professor named Thomas Metcalfe tries to solve the mystery of a lost poem.

From Los Angeles Times

Later, a cyclone forced the brothers to abandon a plan to land in Brisbane and they were forced to take a detour around the remote New Caledonia archipelago to avoid the storm.

From BBC

Speaking in French, Pope Leo said: "The renewed prospect of your return to your native archipelago is an encouraging sign and a powerful symbol on the international stage."

From BBC

At a press conference on the side of a volcano on Tanna island, one of 80 plus in the Vanuatu archipelago, Marles emphasised the "shared destiny" of the two countries.

From BBC

Related Words

• enclave 
• isle 
• islet 
• peninsula 
• reef