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Glite Dictionary
United States Virgin Islands

United States Virgin Islands

3.0
A group of islands in the Caribbean Sea that belong to the United States
  • proper noun
  • /juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts ˈvɜrdʒɪn ˈaɪləndz/
translation icon : Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos
  • Tourism is a major part of the economy in the United States Virgin Islands.

Examples

  • We spent our summer vacation exploring the beautiful beaches of the United States Virgin Islands.

  • The United States Virgin Islands are famous for their stunning coral reefs and diverse marine life.

  • The United States Virgin Islands are known for their vibrant culture and clear blue waters.

  • I visited the United States Virgin Islands last summer.

  • The United States Virgin Islands are known for their beautiful beaches.

  • Many tourists flock to the United States Virgin Islands for their year-round warm weather and picturesque landscapes.

  • Cruises frequently stop at the United States Virgin Islands to allow passengers to enjoy the local attractions.

Synonyms

American Virgin Islands
vsUnited States Virgin Islands
4.2

A group of islands in the Caribbean that are part of the United States

focuses on three main islands by name rather than many small ones

Surface Forms

United States Virgin Islands main

Morphology

united + state + Virgin + island

The phrase names a geopolitical place and its meaning — islands associated with the United States — is directly derivable from the constituent parts: 'United States' (the nation) + 'Virgin Islands' (a group of islands). Although 'Virgin' functions as a proper-name element rather than a literal descriptor, the nation + geographic feature construction is cross-linguistically common and thus immediately comprehensible to learners who know the constituent words.

Etymology

United States Virgin Islands comes from an old story: Columbus named the group for Saint Ursula and her many 'virgins', so people began to call them the Virgin Islands. The words 'United States' were added after the islands were bought by the United States in 1917, so the full name shows these islands now belong to the United States.