one of the three divisions of islands in the Pacific, the others being Melanesia and Micronesia: includes Samoa, Society, Marquesas, Mangareva, Tuamotu, Cook, and Tubuai Islands, and Tonga
Word origin
C18: via French from poly- + Greek nēsos island
Polynesia in American English
(ˌpɑlɪˈniʒə; ˌpɑləˈniʃə)
a major division of the Pacific islands east of the 180th meridian, including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, the Society Islands, the Marquesas Islands, etc.
see also Melanesia
Word origin
ModL < Gr poly-, poly- + nēsos, island + -ia
In other languages
Polynesia
British English: Polynesia /ˌpɒlɪˈniːʒə; -ʒɪə/ NOUN
Polynesia is the division of islands in the Pacific which includes Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, and Tuvalu.