Meanings
proper nounthe Desolation Islands pl (plural only)
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounSynonym of Kerguelen Islands.
Similar
Also see
Origin
Coined by British explorer James Cook in 1776, after the description of the islands left by Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec, who discovered the islands in 1772. Cook preferred the alternate name Kerguelen Islands instead of Desolation Islands.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French îles de la Désolation
- îles de la DésolationDesolation Islands — see also Kerguelen Islands
Polish Wyspy Kerguelena
- Wyspy KerguelenaDesolation Islands — see also Kerguelen Islands
Cite this entry
APA
Desolation Islands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Desolation%20Islands
MLA
“Desolation Islands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Desolation%20Islands. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Desolation Islands,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Desolation%20Islands.
Source: Desolation Islands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.