archipelago
noun
ar·chi·pel·a·go
ˌär-kə-ˈpe-lə-ˌgō 
ˌär-chə-
plural archipelagoes or archipelagos
1
: an expanse of water with many scattered islands
2
: a group of islands
3
: something resembling an archipelago
especially
: a group or scattering of similar things
an archipelago of small parks within the city
Did you know?
The Greeks called it the Aegean Pelagos and the Italians referred to it as Arcipelago (meaning "chief sea"), but English speakers now call it the Aegean Sea. Numerous islands dot its expanse, and 16th-century English speakers adopted a modified form of its Italian name for any sea with a similar scattering of islands. In time, archipelago came to refer to the groups of islands themselves, and now it is often used figuratively, as in, for example, "an archipelago of high-rise buildings."
Examples of archipelago in a Sentence
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Bequia Tucked within the lush archipelago of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Bequia is a seven-square-mile gem known for its serene beauty and restorative energy.
—
Melissa Noel, Essence, 15 Jan. 2025
The first is the coqui, which was accidentally brought to Hawaii by Puerto Rican laborers hired by U.S. companies to work in the Pacific archipelago (it’s considered an invasive species).
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Just a few years ago, the outlook for island snails on the Portuguese Madeira archipelago appeared grim, at best.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2024
However, in a decisive referendum in 1974, Mayotte was the only part of the Comoros archipelago that voted to remain part of France.
—Julie Bourdin, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024
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Melissa Noel, Essence, 15 Jan. 2025
The first is the coqui, which was accidentally brought to Hawaii by Puerto Rican laborers hired by U.S. companies to work in the Pacific archipelago (it’s considered an invasive species).
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Just a few years ago, the outlook for island snails on the Portuguese Madeira archipelago appeared grim, at best.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2024
However, in a decisive referendum in 1974, Mayotte was the only part of the Comoros archipelago that voted to remain part of France.
—Julie Bourdin, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for archipelago
Dictionary Entries Near archipelago
Cite this Entry
“Archipelago.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archipelago. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
archipelago
noun
ar·chi·pel·a·go
ˌär-kə-ˈpel-ə-ˌgō
ˌär-chə-
plural archipelagoes or archipelagos
: a wide stretch of water with many scattered islands
also
: a group of islands
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