atoll

Where does the word "atoll" come from? It comes from Dhivehi atolu, and was adopted directly into English (1600s-1800s).

Atoll’s story begins in Dhivehi: atolu meant “a ring-shaped coral island.” The Maldivian word for a ring-shaped coral formation. It reached English by 1600s-1800s as atoll. The Maldivian word 'atolhu' entered English through Charles Darwin's 1842 study of coral reefs. Today, atoll means a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets surrounding a lagoon.

1. Stage 1 · Dhivehi · medieval atolu "a ring-shaped coral island", the Maldivian word for a ring-shaped coral formation.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s-1800s atoll "a ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon", the Maldivian word 'atolhu' entered English through Charles Darwin's 1842 study of coral reefs.