comoros

comoros — noun

1. a small island country in the western Indian Ocean, near the coast of East Afric

1.nounB1
Definition

a small island country in the western Indian Ocean, near the coast of East Africa, made up of three main islands

Example

Leila visited the Comoros last summer and loved the white sand beaches.

visited the Comoros — travel collocation

The Comoros is made up of three main islands in the western Indian Ocean.

is made up of — geographical composition pattern

Common collocations
  • the Comoros
  • the Comoros Islands
  • Union of the Comoros
  • in the Comoros
  • from the Comoros
  • Comorian government

Grammar Patterns

the Comoros + singular verb

Usage Note

Always capitalised. Commonly used with the definite article 'the' (the Comoros). Takes a singular verb despite the plural form: 'The Comoros is a member of the African Union.'

Common Mistakes

The Comoros are a beautiful country.
The Comoros is a beautiful country.
Country names ending in 's' are treated as singular in English.

Word family

  • Comorian
    adjectiveB1
  • Comorian
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar are all island nations in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles (less common, B1) refers to a smaller archipelago known for tourism and luxury resorts. Mauritius (less common, B1) is a single-island nation east of Madagascar, also a popular tourist destination with a strong financial sector. Madagascar (common, A2) is a much larger single island — the fourth-largest island in the world — with a distinct ecosystem and its own language, Malagasy. Comoros is unique in being a small volcanic archipelago of three main islands with a shared Islamic culture and a history of French colonisation. For example: 'Leila travelled to the Comoros for its beaches, but she found the culture just as fascinating as what she had seen in Mauritius.'

Seychelles ↗MauritiusMadagascar

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the Comoros Islands
  • Union of the Comoros
  • gain independence from

Prepositions

Etymology

ArabicFrenchEnglish

The name 'Comoros' comes from the Arabic 'qamar' (moon). Arab traders called the islands 'Jazā'ir al-Qamar', meaning 'Islands of the Moon'. This Arabic name passed into French during the colonial period and then into English.