noun
Polynesia
po-luh-NEE-zee-uh
noun
1
A vast region of the central and southern Pacific made up of thousands of islands, including Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti, and Easter Island.
"Their honeymoon took them island-hopping across Polynesia."
"Polynesia is home to related languages and cultures spread across a huge stretch of ocean."
How to Use Polynesia
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe huge triangle of Pacific islands stretching from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island.
Easily confused with
micronesia
melanesia
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Etymology
Coined in French in 1756 from Greek roots meaning "many" and "island," originally to describe the Pacific islands broadly before its meaning narrowed.