Canary Islands
1
3.0
- proper noun
:
Islas Canarias
- Muggles who own this place are in the Canary Islands.
The Galapagos and the Canary Islands are two other good examples, and they come from what are known as plumes.
- The Galapagos and the Canary Islands are two other good examples, and they come from what are known as plumes.
- Instead, they are enjoying their billions of dollars that were given to them in aid in Switzerland, in the Canary Islands.
Examples
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MAP: The Canary Islands, site of the traveling show, "Einstein at School."
Academic text (2005) -
They had to fly them in from the Canary Islands.
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- One of my students happened to introduce it to me on a field trip to the Canary Islands.
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- That little wino who went with you on one of your field trips to the Canary Islands?
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Before the set of activities started to tour the Canary Islands, the project had a grand opening on 26 April 2004 in a theater of the historical city.
Academic text (2005) -
The Galapagos and the Canary Islands are two other good examples, and they come from what are known as plumes.
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This treat is quite popular during the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Canary Islands of Spain.
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The Cosmoneta mainly tours the island of Tenerife, but its funds include allocations to travel all over the seven Canary Islands.
Academic text (2005) -
Many tourists visit the Canary Islands each year for their beautiful beaches and warm climate.
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The Canary Islands are known for their unique volcanic landscapes and diverse wildlife.
Synonyms
1
3.7
A group of Spanish islands in the Atlantic Ocean near northwest Africa
Surface Forms
Morphology
Canary + island
The headword 'islands' makes the phrase transparently refer to a group of islands, so a learner who knows 'island' will infer its general geographic category. However, 'Canary' functions as a lexicalized proper-name modifier whose specific referent, location and political status are not predictable from the constituent meanings (and may be mistaken for the bird), so the full meaning requires prior knowledge.
Etymology
Canary Islands may come from an old phrase meaning 'islands of dogs' because early visitors reported many dogs there; one popular story says the name stuck for that reason. Later, the small yellow birds were called 'canaries' after the islands, and today Canary Islands simply means the group of Spanish islands in the Atlantic.