greater sunda islands: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic, Technical (Geography, Earth Sciences)
Quick answer
What does “greater sunda islands” mean?
A geographical archipelago in Southeast Asia, comprising the four large western islands of the Sunda Islands: Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A geographical archipelago in Southeast Asia, comprising the four large western islands of the Sunda Islands: Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi.
The term primarily functions as a proper noun in physical and human geography, referring to a major island group that constitutes the majority of Indonesia's landmass and contains significant biodiversity. In academic contexts, it can be a framework for discussing geology, biogeography, and colonial history.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the same term. Spelling conventions for related descriptive text (e.g., 'centre' vs. 'center') may apply.
Connotations
Neutral geographical term in both varieties. Connotations are tied to the academic or educational context in which it is used.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday speech. Usage is almost exclusively confined to geographical, educational, or documentary contexts. No discernible difference in frequency between BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “greater sunda islands” in a Sentence
[Proper Noun] are located in...[Proper Noun] comprise......found in [Proper Noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “greater sunda islands” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Greater Sunda Islands region is volcanically active.
- They studied Greater Sunda Islands biogeography.
American English
- The Greater Sunda Islands region is volcanically active.
- They studied Greater Sunda Islands biogeography.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in reports on tourism, agriculture (e.g., palm oil), or mining in the region.
Academic
Common in geography, geology, biology, and environmental science texts discussing Southeast Asia's physical and ecological landscape.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in cartography, geological surveys, and biogeographical studies (e.g., discussing Wallace's Line).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “greater sunda islands”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “greater sunda islands”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “greater sunda islands”
- Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'greater sunda islands').
- Confusing it with 'Sunda Islands' (which includes the Lesser Sundas) or 'Indonesia' (a political entity).
- Misspelling 'Sunda' as 'Sunda'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Bali is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands (also known as Nusa Tenggara).
The term 'Greater' refers to the larger landmass of these islands compared to the smaller islands in the Lesser Sunda chain to the east.
'Sunda Islands' is the broader archipelago encompassing both the Greater Sunda Islands (the four large western islands) and the Lesser Sunda Islands (the chain of smaller islands to the southeast).
Yes, geographically the entire island of Borneo is considered part of the Greater Sundas, though it is politically divided between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
A geographical archipelago in Southeast Asia, comprising the four large western islands of the Sunda Islands: Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi.
Greater sunda islands is usually formal, academic, technical (geography, earth sciences) in register.
Greater sunda islands: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪ.tə ˈsʌn.də ˈaɪ.ləndz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪ.t̬ɚ ˈsʌn.də ˈaɪ.ləndz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'G-SIZE': Greater Sunda Islands are the four big ones you'd see on a large (greater) map: Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A as a proper geographical name. Could be metaphorically seen as the 'core' or 'mainland' of the Indonesian archipelago.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT one of the Greater Sunda Islands?