Micronesia

UK: /ˌmaɪkrəʊˈniːzɪə/ US: (mī′krə nē′zhə, -shə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Mi•cro•ne•sia  (mī′krə nē′zhə, -shə), n. 

1. Place Names one of the three principal divisions of Oceania, comprising the small Pacific islands N of the equator and E of the Philippines, whose main groups are the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, and the Marshall Islands.
2. Place Names Federated States of, a group of islands in the W Pacific, in the Caroline Islands, comprising the islands of Pohnpei, Truk, Yap, and Kosrae: formerly a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands;
   now a self-governing area associated with the U.S. 127,616;
   271 sq. mi. (701 sq. km).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Micronesia / ˌmaɪkrəʊˈniːzɪə/ noun

1. one of the three divisions of islands in the Pacific (the others being Melanesia and Polynesia): includes the Mariana, Caroline, Marshall, and Kiribati island groups, and Nauru Island
2. Federated States of Micronesia ⇒ an island group in the W Pacific, formerly within the United States Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands: comprises the islands of Truk, Yap, Ponape, and Kosrae: formed in 1979 when the islands became self-governing: status of free association with the US from 1982. Languages: English and Micronesian languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: US dollar. Capital: Palikir. Pop: 105 544 (2017 est)

Etymology: 19th Century: from micro- + Greek nēsos island; so called from the small size of many of the islands; on the model of Polynesia