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
Recent Examples on the Web
Hydrangeas In The Azores, Portugal The Azores, a remote nine-island archipelago in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, is renowned for its volcanic landscapes, dramatic coastlines and abundant hydrangeas.
—
Emese MacZko, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Jack, funded by his father, decided to join the many treasure hunters on the archipelago.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025
The pièce de résistance, however, is the pad’s 1,600-square-foot rooftop terrace that offers open views over the islands and waterways that comprise the archipelago city.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025
Nearly two centuries ago on a little archipelago off the Pacific coast of Ecuador, a 26-year-old Charles Darwin stepped off the HMS Beagle.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
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Emese MacZko, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Jack, funded by his father, decided to join the many treasure hunters on the archipelago.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025
The pièce de résistance, however, is the pad’s 1,600-square-foot rooftop terrace that offers open views over the islands and waterways that comprise the archipelago city.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025
Nearly two centuries ago on a little archipelago off the Pacific coast of Ecuador, a 26-year-old Charles Darwin stepped off the HMS Beagle.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archipelago
Cite this Entry
“Archipelago.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archipelago. Accessed 25 Mar. 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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