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Glite Dictionary
Samoan Islands

Samoan Islands

3.9
A group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific with warm tropical climate and Polynesian culture
  • proper noun
translation icon : islas Samoa
  • The Samoan Islands are famous for their stunning beaches and rich Polynesian culture.

Examples

  • Many tourists visit the Samoan Islands to experience the tropical climate and breathtaking landscapes.

  • The traditional music and dance of the Samoan Islands reflect their unique cultural heritage.

  • Did they take a native vessel from their homeland and make a purposeful trip to the Samoan Islands?

    Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

Samoa
vsSamoan Islands
4 3.3

A group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific that includes Samoa and American Samoa

is the general name for the same volcanic island group without political detail

Surface Forms

Samoan Islands main

Morphology

Samoan + island

The meaning is directly derivable from 'Samoan' (pertaining to Samoa) combined with 'islands' (pieces of land surrounded by water); together they straightforwardly denote islands associated with Samoa. This demonym + noun composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Samoan Islands comes from the name of the people who live there, the Samoans. Early sailors and mapmakers used the local people's name for the whole group of islands, so today Samoan Islands refers to that group of islands and the Samoan people and their culture.