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arcipelago

archipelago

noun ar-chee-PEH-lah-goh Rare

Origin: From Italian Arcipelago, originally a name for the Aegean Sea; from Greek archi- ('chief') + pelagos ('sea').

Usage Note

Arcipelago has an irregular plural gli arcipelaghi (keeping the hard 'g'). Italy's own island groups — the Eolie, the Pontine, and others — are routinely called arcipelaghi, making this a useful geography word for Italian learners.

Examples

"Le Eolie sono un meraviglioso arcipelago siciliano."

Natural Translation

The Aeolian Islands are a wonderful Sicilian archipelago.

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