/ ˌɑːkɪˈpeləgəʊ; NAmE ˌɑːrkɪˈpeləgoʊ/ noun
( pl. -os or -oes ) a group of islands and the sea surrounding them
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WORD ORIGIN
early 16th cent.: from Italian arcipelago , from Greek arkhi- chief + pelagos sea. The word was originally used as a proper name ( the Archipelago the Aegean Sea ): the general sense arose because the Aegean Sea is known for its large numbers of islands.