Micronesia
/ˌmaɪ.kroʊˈniː.ʒə/noun
A region of the western Pacific Ocean consisting of numerous small islands and island groups.
Did you know?The regional name was introduced in the nineteenth century by French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville as part of a three-way division of Oceania based on island size, appearance, and geography.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mikrós
“small or little”
Ancient Greek
Greek
nêsos
“island”
19th Century
French scholarly usage
Micronésie
“A proposed region of small islands in Oceania”
1830s
New Latin
Micronesia
“The land or region of small islands”
Modern English
English
Micronesia
“A western Pacific region comprising many small islands and island groups”