archipelagos
|ar-chi-pel-a-go|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑːr.kɪˈpɛl.ə.ɡoʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑː.kɪˈpɛl.ə.ɡəʊ/
(archipelago)
group of islands
Etymology
'archipelago' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'arkhipelagos', where 'arkhi-' meant 'chief' and 'pelagos' meant 'sea'.
'archipelago' passed into Medieval Latin and Italian as 'archipelagus' / 'arcipelago' and was adopted into English, shifting from a name for the Aegean Sea to a general term for groups of islands.
Initially it referred to the 'chief sea' (specifically the Aegean Sea), but over time it evolved into the current meaning of 'a group or chain of islands'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a group or chain of islands clustered together in a sea or ocean.
The Philippine archipelagos are known for their rich biodiversity.
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Noun 2
historically or specifically, the sea in which many islands are scattered (originally used for the Aegean Sea).
In older maps, the Archipelago often referred to the Aegean, while modern charts label its many archipelagos separately.
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Noun 3
a figurative cluster or collection of similar, often scattered, items or entities.
The city's small parks form archipelagos of green amid the concrete.
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Last updated: 2025/10/07 07:18