Archipelago

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɑːkɪˈpɛləɡəʊ/

Definitions

1. A collection of islands situated in close proximity within a larger expanse of water, often characterized by unique ecological features
2. A series of islands that are grouped together in a maritime region, typically exhibiting diverse natural environments
3. A number of islands located near to each other within a body of water

Etymology: The name began as a place name. "Archipelago" was originally the Italian "arcipelago," used for the Aegean Sea, the stretch of water dotted with many islands between Greece and Turkey. Its parts are "arci-," a variant of the prefix meaning "foremost" or "primary" (from Greek "arkhi-," related to "arkhein," "to rule"), and "pelago," meaning "open sea," from Latin "pelagus" and Greek "pelagos." The meaning then slid from the sea to the islands in it. Because the Aegean was so thick with islands, the word for the sea came to name the scattered islands themselves, and English speakers now use it for any group of islands, such as the Galápagos or the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Synonyms: island group, island chain