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

The district is made up of an archipelago of 65 inhabited islands with some of the highest rates of HIV in Uganda. — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026

For the second half of the trip, a 15-minute boat ride takes guests to the Gili Islands, an archipelago known for its pristine beaches and turquoise waters. — Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Wildfires in Indonesia, an archipelago nation of more than 17,000 islands, often are started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers to clear land for planting. — Trisnadi, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026

Raja Ampat Raja Ampat, an archipelago featuring more than 1,500 islands, is the perfect destination for travelers who want to witness nature in its most pristine condition. — Jarrod Hobson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Archipelago Aegean Sea, from Italian Arcipelago, literally, chief sea, from arci- (from Latin archi-) + Greek pelagos sea — more at plagal

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for archipelago

• duodecimo
• impresario
• pianissimo
• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow

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Kids 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