atoll etymology

Etymology

The word "atoll" is derived from the Maldivian and Dhivehi word "atholhu", which refers to a circular or oval-shaped coral reef.

Meaning

An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef or island that surrounds a lagoon. The reef is composed of living corals and their skeletons, while the lagoon is a sheltered area of water. Atolls typically form on top of submerged volcanic islands that have eroded over time.

Origin

Geologically speaking, atolls are formed over millions of years through a series of processes:

1. Volcanic Activity: A volcanic eruption creates an island in the ocean.
2. Coral Growth: Corals attach themselves to the island's coastline and begin to grow upwards and outwards.
3. Subsidence: The volcanic island sinks due to the weight of the coral growth.
4. Ring Formation: As the island sinks, the corals continue to grow, creating a ring-shaped reef.
5. Lagoon Formation: The interior of the reef becomes a lagoon, which is sheltered from the open ocean.
6. Emergence: If the rate of coral growth exceeds the rate of subsidence, the reef can rise above sea level, forming an atoll.

Atolls are common in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They provide important habitats for marine life and serve as tourist destinations and fishing grounds.

atoll relate terms

• atoll

  Etymology The word atoll is derived from the Maldivian and Dhivehi word atholhu whic

• dysentery

  Etymology Greek dys bad abnormal Greek enteron intestines Meaning Dysen

• embargo

  Etymology Embargo derives from the Spanish term embargar meaning to hold fast or

• embarrass

  Etymology The word embarrass comes from the Old French word embarras which means ob

• embryo

  Etymology Embryo comes from the Greek word embryon which means unborn or young o

• empire

  Etymology Late Latin imperium dominion Latin imperare to command Proto Indo E

• employ

  Etymology The word employ comes from the Old French word emploier which in turn come

• enclave

  Etymology Middle English enclaue from Old North French enclaver from Late Latin inc

• endo

  Etymology of endo The word endo is derived from the Greek word endon meaning wi

• enema

  Etymology From the Ancient Greek word klýs ma κλύσμα meaning washing out

• engine

  Etymology Latin ingenium innate ability French engin device Meaning An engi

• enoptomancy

  Etymology The word enoptomancy comes from the Greek words ἔνοπτρον enoptr

• enter

  Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words étymon true sense of a word

• enteric

  Etymology The word enteric is derived from the Greek word enteron which means inte

• enteritis

  Etymology entero Greek intestine itis Greek inflammation Meaning Inflammati

• entero

  Etymology Latin integer whole entire Meaning An integer is a whole number th

• entice

  Etymology The word entice comes from the Old French word enticer which in turn is d

• ento

  Etymology Ento is derived from the Greek preposition entos meaning within Mean

• entrails

  Etymology Origin Old French entrailles Latin interālis internal Meaning and Ori

• envoy

  Etymology The word envoy stammt from the Old French word enveier meaning to send

• envy

  Etymology The word envy comes from the Old French word envier which means to

• episode

  Etymology The word episode is derived from the Greek word epeisodion which literall

• esoteric

  Etymology Esoteric comes from the Greek word esoterikos which means inner or secret

• imbroglio

  Etymology French imbroglio from Italian imbroglio from the verb imbrogliare to entan

• immolate

  Etymology Latin immolare to sprinkle with sacrificial meal Proto Indo European me

• impede

  Etymology Latin impedīre to entangle obstruct hinder Proto Indo European ped f

• impend

  Etymology Latin impendere to hang over be imminent threaten Proto Indo European

• impetus

  Etymology Latin impetus attack onset assault Proto Indo European h₂ep to

• important

  Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words It can be traced back to an

• impostor

  Etymology The word impostor comes from the Latin word impostor which means pretend

• impresario

  Etymology Impresario is derived from the Italian word impresario which means contrac

• impromptu

  Etymology Impromptu Latin impromptu from in not promptus ready Meaning

• inchoate

  Etymology Late Latin īnchōātus past participle of īnchōāre to begin From Proto

• incite

  Etymology The word incite comes from the Latin word incitare meaning to drive on

• increase

  Etymology The word increase comes from the Old French word encroistre which is deriv

• incumbent

  Etymology The word incumbent derives from the Latin word incumbere meaning to lie

• industry

  Etymology The word industry is derived from the Latin word industria which means d

• indigence

  Etymology From Middle French indigence from Latin indigentiam nominative indigentia

• inflict

  Etymology Old French enflechir or enfleichier Late Latin inflectere Proto Indo

• ingenuous

  Etymology The word ingenuous comes from the Latin word ingenuus which means native

• ingest

  Etymology From Latin ingest to carry into from in into gerere to carry

• innate

  Etymology The word innate comes from the Latin word innatus which means inborn or

• inner

  Etymology Old English inra Proto Germanic inra Proto Indo European e nter within

• innuendo

  Etymology Early 17th century from Italian innuendo indication or hinting from past

• inoculate

  Etymology The word inoculate comes from the Latin word inoculare which means to gra

• insignia

  Insignia Etymology The word insignia originates from the Latin word insigne meaning

• instant

  Etymology Late 19th century from instant adjective ly Meaning Immediately at on

• intaglio

  Etymology From Italian intaglio from Latin intagliāre meaning to engrave Ultimate

• interim

  Etymology Latin interim meaning in the meantime From inter between im accu

• interior

  Etymology The word interior derives from the Latin word inter meaning within Me

• intern

  Etymology The word intern is derived from the Latin word internare which means to p

• internal

  Etymology Internal etymology The origin of a word within the same language Meaning Th

• intestine

  Etymology The word intestine comes from the Latin word intestinum meaning inner tu

• intra

  Etymology The word intra originates from the Latin prefix intra meaning within or

• intricate

  Etymology Intricate derives from the Late Latin word intricatus the past participle

• intrinsic

  Etymology Intrinsic comes from the Latin word intrinsecus meaning within or int

• introduce

  Etymology The Study of Word Origins Etymology is a branch of linguistics that investigat

• introduction

  Etymology The word introduction originates from the Latin verb introducere meaning

• introit

  Etymology The word introit is derived from the Latin word introitus which means ent

• introspect

  Etymology The word introspect originates from the Latin words intro meaning inward

• invert

  Etymology The word invert derives from the Latin word invertere which means to tur

• mesentery

  Etymology Greek μέσεντερον mesenteron Literal meaning in the middle of t

• lagoon

  Etymology The word lagoon is derived from the Italian word laguna meaning shallow b

• newel

  Etymology Of uncertain origin It was originally spelled newell and the el has bee

• sincere

  Etymology The word sincere originates from the Latin word sincerus which means pur

• vocation

  Etymology and Origin The word vocation comes from the Latin word vocatio meaning a

• affirmation

  Etymology The word affirmation comes from the Latin word affirmare which means to

• zombie

  Etymology The word zombie derives from the Haitian Creole word zonbi which in turn i

• pluck

  Etymology Middle English plukken from Old English pluccian probably from a Proto Ge

• problem

  Etymology Greek πρόβλημα problema obstacle question Latin problema di

• language

  Etymology The term etymology derives from the Greek word etymon meaning true sense