Maldive Islands

1 3.8

A group of about 1,200 small coral islands in the Indian Ocean that make up the country Maldives

proper noun

: Islas Maldivas

Tourists from around the world visit the Maldive Islands for their luxury resorts and crystal-clear waters.

Examples

The Maldive Islands are vulnerable to the effects of rising sea levels due to climate change.
The Maldive Islands are renowned for their stunning white-sand beaches and vibrant coral reefs.
The Maldive Islands are known for their stunning beaches.
Have you ever visited the Maldive Islands?
The Maldive Islands are renowned for their stunning white-sand beaches and vibrant coral reefs.
Tourists from around the world visit the Maldive Islands for their luxury resorts and crystal-clear waters.
The Maldive Islands are vulnerable to the effects of rising sea levels due to climate change.

Synonyms

Maldives

vsMaldive Islands

14 3.6

A country of many small islands in the Indian Ocean known for beaches and resorts

focuses on the physical group of coral islands that form the nation

Republic of Maldives

vsMaldive Islands

1 3.8

An island country in the Indian Ocean southwest of India and Sri Lanka known for its atolls and tropical beaches

is the physical grouping of coral islands rather than the formal political name

Surface Forms

Maldive Islands main

Morphology

Maldive + island

The phrase combines an adjectival place name ('Maldive', i.e. relating to the Maldives) with 'islands', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means the islands belonging to/associated with the Maldives. This is a regular compositional place-name pattern found across languages, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Maldive Islands may come from old Sanskrit words meaning 'garland of islands'. The image of many small islands like beads on a string makes it easy to remember that the Maldives is a country made of many tiny coral islands spread across the ocean.