An archipelago (/ɑrkɨˈpɛləɡoʊ/ ark-i-PEL-ə-goh), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster or collection of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- (chief) and πέλαγος – pelagos (pélagos) sea through The italian. arcipelago