archipelago

[ ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh ]

/ ˌɑr kəˈpɛl əˌgoʊ /

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See synonyms for archipelago on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural ar·chi·pel·a·gos, ar·chi·pel·a·goes.

a large group or chain of islands: the Malay Archipelago.

any large body of water with many islands.

the Archipelago, the Aegean Sea.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of archipelago

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

OTHER WORDS FROM archipelago

ar·chi·pe·lag·ic

[ahr-kuh-puh-laj-ik], /ˌɑr kə pəˈlædʒ ɪk/, ar·chi·pe·la·gi·an

[ahr-kuh-puh-ley-jee-uhn, -juhn], /ˌɑr kə pəˈleɪ dʒi ən, -dʒən/, adjective

Words nearby archipelago

Archimedes, Archimedes' principle, Archimedes' screw, archine, arching, archipelago, Archipenko, archiphoneme, archiplasm, archit., architect

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use archipelago in a sentence

It’s part of the Seychelles, an archipelago off of East Africa.
A giant tortoise is caught hunting and eating a baby bird|Jonathan Lambert|September 29, 2021|Science News For Students
Sohn builds impact with repetition, filling a section of floor with an archipelago of craggy tan islets.
In the galleries: Photos capture a fleeting moment, leave an indelible impression|Mark Jenkins|September 10, 2021|Washington Post
Or, they may have island-hopped across ancient island archipelagos, which would eventually make up the present-day terrains of Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
Lizard of Oz: Australia’s Biggest Dinosaur Discovered|Scott Hocknull and Rochelle Lawrence, The Conversation|June 7, 2021|The Daily Beast
Part of IJburg, an archipelago of six new islands built by city contractors, Beach Island was reclaimed from the waters with sand carried by boats run on low-emission fuel.
Amsterdam Is Embracing a Radical New Economic Theory to Help Save the Environment. Could It Also Replace Capitalism?|Ciara Nugent|January 22, 2021|Time

The nation also presents one of the toughest logistical challenges, with a population of some 273 million spread across the world’s largest archipelago.
Airlines are facing ‘mission of the century’ in shipping COVID vaccines|McKenna Moore|December 1, 2020|Fortune
The flight path remained close to the Indonesian archipelago, well within what is the normal reach of air traffic control radar.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This windswept sheep-filled archipelago off the coast of Southern Patagonia remains an Argentine obsession.
The Never-Ending Falklands War: In Buenos Aires, A Museum's Selective History|Michael Luongo|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The largest of an archipelago of islands, Santorini is the vestige of a single volcanic landmass that erupted around 1600 BC.
Book a Room for Two in a Santorini Cave|Joanna Eede|June 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Power has withered at the center and devolved to an archipelago of fiefdoms where warlords rule without the burdens of governing.
The Curse of CAR: Warlords, Blood Diamonds, and Dead Elephants|Christopher Day|May 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There were three Dutch voyages to the Arctic archipelago in the 16th century.
Pale Fire and the Cold War: Redefining Vladimir Nabokov’s Masterpiece|Michael Weiss|October 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The leaguers were now anxious to co-operate with the Americans in compelling the Spaniards to evacuate the Archipelago.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Dangerous situation of the brig among the islands of Buccaneer's Archipelago.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The supremacy of the United States must and will be enforced throughout every part of the Archipelago.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Taken as a whole Yloilo still remains one of the most charmless spots in the Archipelago.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Off the Buccaneer's Archipelago the tides are strong and rise to the height of thirty-six feet.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King

British Dictionary definitions for archipelago

archipelago

/ (ˌɑːkɪˈpɛlɪˌɡəʊ) /

noun plural -gos or -goes

a group of islands

a sea studded with islands

Derived forms of archipelago

archipelagic (ˌɑːkɪpəˈlædʒɪk) or archipelagian (ˌɑːkɪpəˈleɪdʒɪən), adjective

Word Origin for archipelago

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for archipelago

archipelago

[ är′kə-pĕl′ə-gō′ ]

A large group of islands.

A sea, such as the Aegean, or an area in a sea containing a large number of scattered islands.

Cultural definitions for archipelago

archipelago

[ (ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh) ]

A group of islands near one another.

archipelago

Origin of archipelago

OTHER WORDS FROM archipelago

Words nearby archipelago

Words related to archipelago

How to use archipelago in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for archipelago

Derived forms of archipelago

Word Origin for archipelago

Scientific definitions for archipelago

Cultural definitions for archipelago