The collective name for the islands of the central Pacific Ocean, including the Austral Islands, Cook Islands, Easter Island, HAWAII; NEW ZEALAND; Phoenix Islands, PITCAIRN ISLAND; SAMOA; TONGA; Tuamotu Archipelago, Wake Island, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. Polynesians are of the Caucasoid race, but many are of mixed origin. Polynesia is from the Greek poly, many + nesos, island, with reference to the many islands in the group. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p966 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p426)

Annotation

a group of islands in the central Pacific

Skupina ostrovů ve středním Pacifiku.

DUI

D011114 MeSH Browser

CUI

M0017222

History note

68; EASTER ISLAND was see CHILE 1975-77

Online note

use CHILE to search EASTER ISLAND 1975-77