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Dictionary Language resources

archipelago

Pronunciation: /ˌɑːkɪˈpɛləgəʊ/

Translate archipelago | into Italian

Definition of archipelago

noun (plural archipelagos or archipelagoes)

an extensive group of islands: the Indonesian archipelago
a sea or stretch of water having many islands.

Origin:

early 16th century: from Italian arcipelago, from Greek arkhi- 'chief' + pelagos 'sea'. The word was originally used as a proper name (the Archipelago 'the Aegean Sea'): the general sense arose because the Aegean Sea is notable for its large numbers of islands