atoll

/əˈtɑl/

UK: /əˈtɒl/

atoll

English Noun Top 45,526

Definition

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 *संतीर्थ (*saṃtīrtha, “level ford”). The traditional etymology from Persian آبتل (âb-tal, “water-hillock”) is unlikely.