Moluccas

American  

[muh-luhk-uhz] / məˈlʌk əz /

plural noun

1. a group of islands in Indonesia, between Sulawesi (Celebes) and New Guinea. About 30,000 sq. mi. (78,000 sq. km).

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Moluccas British  

/ məʊˈlʌkəz, mə- /

plural noun

1. Former name: Spice Islands.  Indonesian name: Maluku.  a group of islands in the Malay Archipelago, between Sulawesi (Celebes) and New Guinea. Capital: Amboina. Pop: 1 990 598 (2000). Area: about 74 505 sq km (28 766 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Moluccan adjective

Example Sentences

Here, the Portuguese were able to establish trade relationships with the Sultanate of Ternate, a city-state in the Moluccas.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

Toward the end of the second century BC, merchants traveled along the Silk Road, transporting noodles from Xi’an, grapes from Dayuanand nutmeg from the Moluccas Islandsto eager buyers along its 4,000-mile network.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2018

These habitats include the islands of Timor, Flores and the Moluccas of eastern Indonesia and, in western New Guinea, the Raja Ampat Islands and Cenderawasih Bay.

From New York Times • Aug. 9, 2014

The new rodent also provides clues to how mammals evolved and spread across the "stepping stones" of the Moluccas - known as one of the birthplaces of evolutionary theory.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2013

Java lies in what may be called a volcano belt, which is just under the Equator, and reaches not only through Java, but through the islands of Bali and Lombok to the Moluccas.

From From Egypt to Japan by Field, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)