Atoll
/əˈtɒl/noun
A ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands enclosing a lagoon.
Did you know?Charles Darwin used atolls as evidence for his theory that volcanic islands can slowly sink while coral reefs continue growing upward around them.
Etymological Timeline
Before the 17th century
Dhivehi
atholhu
“A coral reef or reef-ring enclosing a lagoon”
16th Century
Portuguese
atoll
“A reef-ring, borrowed through European contact with the Maldives and Indian Ocean”
17th Century
English
atoll
“A coral island or reef enclosing a lagoon”
19th Century
English
atoll
“A scientific geological term used in descriptions of coral-reef formation”
Modern English
English
atoll
“A ring-shaped coral reef, island, or island chain surrounding a lagoon”