White Island

proper noun

An island of Svalbard, Norway

OriginNorwegian Nynorsk Kvitøya →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. An island of Svalbard, Norway
  2. An uninhabitable volcanic island in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Origin

  1. Norwegian NynorskKvitøya
  2. EnglishWhite Island

# Calque of Norwegian Nynorsk Kvitøya (literally “White Island”). # Named by James Cook on 1 November 1769 in reference to its white appearance, either due to the presence of volcanic steam or guano deposits.

More words from Norwegian Nynorsk

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Māori Te Puia Whakaari
  • Te Puia Whakaarivolcanic island of New Zealand
Norwegian Kvitøya
  • Kvitøyaisland of Svalbard
Cite this entry
APA

White Island. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/White%20Island

MLA

“White Island.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/White%20Island. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “White Island,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/White%20Island.

Source: White Island on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.