Cook Islands

American  

plural noun

1. a group of islands in the South Pacific belonging to New Zealand. 99 square miles (256 square kilometers).

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Cook Islands British  

plural noun

1. a group of islands in the SW Pacific, an overseas territory of New Zealand: consists of the Lower Cooks and the Northern Cooks Capital: Avarua, on Rarotonga. Pop: 10 447 (2013 est). Area: 234 sq km (90 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Cook Islands

First recorded in 1875–80 as Cook's Islands; named after Captain James Cook

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Cook Islands

Pasifika heritage encompasses the indigenous peoples of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia, with Upper Hutt-born Rennie having Cook Islands links through his mother.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026

Moana Minerals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Houston-based Ocean Minerals, recently pitched Cook Islands mining to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

Places such as the Cook Islands are doing everything they can to play the two sides off against one another.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

The company owned tankers flagged in Barbados, Gambia, Panama and the Cook Islands, according to US sanctions.

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

Niue:   Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic   differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest   of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency