Word forms: plural archipelagos, plural archipelagoes
countable noun
An archipelago is a group of islands, especially small islands.
...the Azores, a rugged, volcanic archipelago of nine islands.
archipelago in British English
(ˌɑːkɪˈpɛlɪˌɡəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-gos or -goes
1.
a group of islands
2.
a sea studded with islands
Derived forms
archipelagic (ˌɑːkɪpəˈlædʒɪk) or archipelagian (ˌɑːkɪpəˈleɪdʒɪən)
adjective
Word origin
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
archipelago in American English
(ˌɑrkəˈpɛləˌgoʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˌarchiˈpelaˌgoes or ˌarchiˈpelaˌgos
1.
a sea with many islands
2.
a group or chain of many islands
Derived forms
archipelagic (ˌarchipeˈlagic) (ˌɑrkəpəˈlædʒɪk)
adjective
Word origin
It arcipelago < MGr archipelagos, orig., the Aegean Sea < Gr archi-, chief + pelagos, sea: see pelagic
a group of about 80 coral islands in the S Pacific , in French Polynesia . Pop: 15 973 (2002; including the Gambier Islands). Area: 860 sq km (332 sq miles)
Arctic Archipelago
group of mostly large islands in the Arctic Ocean off the N coast of Canada
Chagos Archipelago
group of islands in the Indian Ocean 1,180 mi (1,899 km) northeast of Mauritius , comprising the British Indian Ocean Territory : chief island, Diego Garcia
Malay Archipelago
a group of islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans , between SE Asia and Australia : the largest group of islands in the world ; includes over 3000 Indonesian islands, about 7000 islands of the Philippines , and, sometimes , New Guinea
Mergui Archipelago
a group of over 200 islands in the Andaman Sea, off the Tenasserim coast of S Myanmar : mountainous and forested
Palmer Archipelago
a group of islands between South America and Antarctica : part of the British Antarctic Territory , formerly the British colony of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies . ( Claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty )
Sulu Archipelago
a chain of over 500 islands in the SW Philippines , separating the Sulu Sea from the Celebes Sea: formerly a sultanate , ceded to the Philippines in 1940. Capital: Jolo . Pop: 619 668 (2000). Area: 2686 sq km (1037 sq miles)
Alexander Archipelago
a group of over 1000 islands along the coast of SE Alaska
Antarctic Archipelago
a group of islands between South America and Antarctica : part of the British Antarctic Territory , formerly the British colony of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies . ( Claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty )
Bismarck Archipelago
a group of over 200 islands in the SW Pacific , northeast of New Guinea : part of Papua New Guinea. Main islands: New Britain , New Ireland , Lavongai, and the Admiralty Islands. Chief town : Rabaul , on New Britain. Pop: 566 610 (2000). Area: 49 658 sq km (19 173 sq miles)
Paumotu Archipelago
a group of about 80 coral islands in the S Pacific , in French Polynesia . Pop: 15 973 (2002; including the Gambier Islands). Area: 860 sq km (332 sq miles)
Tuamotu Archipelago
a group of about 80 coral islands in the S Pacific , in French Polynesia . Pop: 15 973 (2002; including the Gambier Islands). Area: 860 sq km (332 sq miles)