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

For the Cook Islands, it could be a game-changer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

U.S. and Cook Islands government news releases showed him in a suit picking at pieces of pineapple and papaya as he sat opposite a group of diplomats in Hawaiian-style shirts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

Without ever setting foot in the palm-fringed microstate, foreign ship owners can pay Maritime Cook Islands to sail under its star-studded flag.

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

Despite these plans, the Cook Islands will continue to face severe financial problems.

From The 1996 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency