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
Spain clinches top spot for LGBTIA protections For the first time in a decade, Malta lost its spot atop the rankings, with Spain surpassing the archipelago under the leadership of leftist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.
—
Drew Pittock, USA Today, 14 May 2026
This Canary Island is considered the archipelago’s top hiking destination, especially in winter when January and February temperatures reach around 22°C.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
This past summer, Katherine and her cousin spent a week hiking through pine and oak forests, island-hopping by ferry, eating post-hike Swedish meatballs, and sweating in saunas along the archipelago—covering about 62 miles across seven islands.
—AFAR Media, 11 May 2026
Spanish passengers were the first to leave the MV Hondius following its arrival in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast.
—Arkansas Online, 11 May 2026
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Drew Pittock, USA Today, 14 May 2026
This Canary Island is considered the archipelago’s top hiking destination, especially in winter when January and February temperatures reach around 22°C.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
This past summer, Katherine and her cousin spent a week hiking through pine and oak forests, island-hopping by ferry, eating post-hike Swedish meatballs, and sweating in saunas along the archipelago—covering about 62 miles across seven islands.
—AFAR Media, 11 May 2026
Spanish passengers were the first to leave the MV Hondius following its arrival in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast.
—Arkansas Online, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for archipelago
Cite this Entry
“Archipelago.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archipelago. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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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