Malay Archipelago
- proper noun
:
Archipiélago Malayo
- The Malay Archipelago stretches from Sumatra to New Guinea.
- the Malay Archipelago book
Examples
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In the Malay Archipelago, Wallace discovered many unique species that are found nowhere else in the world.
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Charles Darwin studied the wildlife of the Malay Archipelago during his voyage.
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The Malay Archipelago contains thousands of islands with diverse cultures and languages.
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The Malay Archipelago is known for its diverse cultures.
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Tourists flock to the Malay Archipelago every year.
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After eight years in the Malay Archipelago, he was a tired man; the time had come to go home.
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The Malay Archipelago consists of thousands of islands, including Indonesia and the Philippines.
Synonyms
2
4.9
An old name for the islands between Asia and Australia, like the Malay Archipelago
1
5.0
A group of islands between Asia and Australia, including Indonesia, historically named by Europeans
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'archipelago' = a cluster of islands and 'Malay' = relating to the Malay region/people, so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a group of islands associated with the Malay area. Although it is a proper name with specific geographic boundaries, its composition follows a straightforward adjective+noun pattern common across languages, making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Malay Archipelago comes from two parts: Malay, meaning the people and area in Southeast Asia, and archipelago, a word for a 'group of islands'. So the name simply points to the many islands in Southeast Asia, like Indonesia and the Philippines, lying between the Asian mainland and Australia.