Orcades

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of islands located off the northeastern coast of Scotland known for their rich archaeological sites and unique wildlife ; an archipelago featuring historic settlements and natural landscapes in the North Atlantic ; a cluster of Scottish islands famed for prehistoric monuments and coastal scenery
2. An island chain in the Northern Isles of Scotland notable for ancient ruins and diverse fauna ; a set of islands in northern Scotland distinguished by cultural heritage and marine ecosystems ; a Scottish archipelago celebrated for archaeological findings and natural habitats
3. A northern Scottish archipelago characterized by historic sites and rugged terrain ; a group of islands near Scotland with significant prehistoric remains and wildlife ; an ensemble of islands in Scotland’s far north known for cultural and natural importance

Etymology: Roman writers used "Orcades" for the islands north of Britain. Pliny the Elder, in his encyclopedic "Natural History", lists them as a group of thirty islands. The name was Latin, but it was not Roman in origin. Its exact source is uncertain, and it may have come from a local name for the islands that Latin speakers adapted. The name that survives in English is Orkney, which comes from Old Norse "Orkneyjar," meaning "the Orkney islands." Norse-speaking settlers held the islands for centuries, and their language shaped the place names that remain. The Latin "Orcades" survives today mainly in Latin and scholarly usage, and in the names of local institutions and the islands' historical records.

Synonyms: Orkney Islands