atoll
UK /ˈætɒl/ · US /ˈætɔl/ noun
Forms atolls
- noun A type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform.
Etymology
Borrowed from Portuguese atol, from Dhivehi އަތޮޅު (atoḷu), possibly from Prakrit *𑀲𑀁𑀢𑀻𑀞 (*saṃtīṭha), from Sanskrit सम्- (sam-) + तीर्थ (tīrtha) “level ford”. The traditional etymology from Persian آبتل (âb-tal, “water-hillock”) is unlikely.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A coral island or islands, consisting of a belt of coral reef, partly submerged, surrounding a central lagoon or depression; a lagoon island.
Etymology [The native name in the Indian Ocean.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “atoll”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details