archipelago

American  

[ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh] / ˌɑr kəˈpɛl əˌgoʊ /

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.

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archipelago British  

/ ˌɑːkɪpəˈleɪdʒɪən, ˌɑːkɪˈpɛlɪˌɡəʊ, ˌɑːkɪpəˈlædʒɪk /

noun

1. a group of islands

2. a sea studded with islands

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archipelago Scientific  

/ är′kə-pĕl′ə-gō′ /

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.

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archipelago Cultural  

1. A group of islands near one another.

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Other Word Forms

• archipelagian adjective
• archipelagic adjective

Etymology

Origin of archipelago

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

Example Sentences

Japan has installed missiles, radar, garrisons and electronic-warfare systems on the islands to protect the archipelago amid intensifying Chinese military activity in the East China Sea and—potentially—to play a role in any defense of Taiwan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

In a phone call with Lammy last December, Muizzu warned the deputy UK prime minister that "any transfer of the archipelago must account for Maldivian interests".

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Like most jeepneys, Princess runs on diesel, the cost of which has hit historic highs in the archipelago nation since the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Heavy rains continued to fall on the archipelago in the early hours of Saturday morning.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

From the southern tip of Kyushu to the northern tip of Hokkaido, the Japanese archipelago is nearly 1,500 miles long.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• enclave
• isle
• islet
• peninsula
• reef