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
An American who was arrested in the Bahamas after his wife vanished while the couple were traveling in a motorboat near the archipelago denies any wrongdoing, his attorney said Thursday.
—
R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The affected zone also sits along a critical migration corridor for reef manta rays, one of the archipelago’s biggest tourism draws.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
There will be little temptation to venture away from the comforts of the resort’s idyllic and famously still beach, unless by boat, kayak, or bike to explore the surrounding archipelago’s dramatic cliffs, caves, and paths.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
The trio had set sail from Fananu Island, within the archipelago, on March 30, the Coast Guard said.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
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R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The affected zone also sits along a critical migration corridor for reef manta rays, one of the archipelago’s biggest tourism draws.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
There will be little temptation to venture away from the comforts of the resort’s idyllic and famously still beach, unless by boat, kayak, or bike to explore the surrounding archipelago’s dramatic cliffs, caves, and paths.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
The trio had set sail from Fananu Island, within the archipelago, on March 30, the Coast Guard said.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 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 11 Apr. 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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