Glossary
Seven Holidays - Your Guide to Maldives Resorts & Holidays

This unique place has several words which may be new to you, or have specific local meanings. I have tried to collect together these words and cross-reference them from across this web site into this glossary.   

   
Acceleration Playing hard at sports and activities
All-inclusive Holiday package where meals, accommodation and more are included in the price
Animation Co-ordinated resort activity
Animator Activity co-ordinators on the resort
Areca nut Green fruit of the Areca palm, ripening to orange, not unlike mango
Arrack Strong alcoholic spirit made from grain and coconut, with a taste between run and whisky
Atoll Ring-shaped chain of coral islands. The Maldives is a garland of 22 atolls.
Ayurveda Traditional Hindu holistic therapy
Ayurvedic Based on traditional Hindu holistic therapy
Beach bungalow Room opening onto the beachbeach with a sea view
Beach villa Upmarket room opening onto the beach with a sea view
Betel Vine growing all over South and Southeast Asia
Bleaching A warm sea killed and bleached much of Maldives' coral in 1998
Bocce Italian game similar to lawn bowling
Boduberu Ancient song and group dance with a wild rhythm
Bonito Medium sized fish in the mackerel familyfamily that tastes like skipjack tuna
Brain coral Spherical coral with grooved surfaces
Causeway Linking road elevated on a sandbank
Channel Deeper, flowing water between reefs
Coral Marine organisms (polyps) that secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton
Coral bleaching A warm sea killed and bleached much of Maldives' coral in 1998
Corals Sea organisms whose secretions form hard skeletons which build the reefs. Living corals form the habitat for other sea life
Crab race Traditional pastime in the Maldives
Cut through A pathway across the lagoon floor linking an island to its reef
Cuts through Pathways across the lagoon floor linking an island to its reef
Deceleration Unwinding through meditation and/or other therapies
Decompression chamber To treat divingdiving related disorders such as decompression sickness (the bends)
Decompression sickness 'The bends' - joint pain and other symptoms caused by ascending rapidly from a divedive without adjusting pressure adequately
Desalinated Sea water processed to remove salt and other impurities
Dhiraagu The Maldives' principle phone company
Dhivehi Native language of the Maldives
Dhoni Maldivian fishing boat, also used for ferrying
Dive base Staffed centre/school on each resort that co-ordinates equipment, training and trips for scubascuba diving
Dive centre Staffed base/school on each resort that co-ordinates equipment, training and trips for scuba diving
Dive safari Holiday package completely built around diving
Dive school Staffed centre/base on each resort that co-ordinates equipment, training and trips for scuba diving
Double tank Scuba diving with 2 oxygen tanks to increase duration
Drift dive Being carried along by a known current for relaxation and preservation of oxygen
Drift diving Being carried along by a known current for relaxation and preservation of oxygen
Drop-off Steep edge of the reef as it drops into the depths, and where much life gathers
Faro Submerged ring reef inside an atoll (also Faru)
Faru Submerged ring reef inside an atoll (also Faro)
Fishermen's islands Uninhabited islands used by local fishermen as stopping off points
Free dive Swim underwater by holding one's breath
Free diving Swimming underwater by holding one's breath
Garden villa Interior rooms on a resort island
Giffili Maldivian domestic outdoor washing area with a well for showering - a design feature on some resorts
Giri Coral structure similar to thila (underwater columns) but smaller
Green Resort Award Prominent annual award to the resort best adopting/embedding green policies
Groyne Long structures from the shore to stop sand movement.
Hammerhead Distinctive shark, thrilling to see when diving. Scalloped hammerhead is fished commercially
High season Late December to April there is little rain and continual sunshine in the Maldives
Hobie cat Popular small sailing boat with 2 hulls
House reef Coral reef on a resort's own island
Hulhule Island hosting the Malé International airport
Infinity pool Swimming pool creating the illusion of the water merging with the sea
Inhabited island Island on which native Maldivians live
Island hopping Trips to deserted, fishermen's or native islands
Kitesurfing Riding waves by surfing with a controllable kite for wind propulsion
Laari (L) Maldivian currency, one hundredth of a rufiyaa
Lagoon The shallows between an island and its reef
Legal intoxication The chewing of areca in betel as a mild stimulant is called 'dhu'fun'
Low season Late May to early September see warm sunny days interspersed with sporadic cloud and rain
Maldivian Lady White rum, apricot brandy, a dash of grenadine and pineapple and orange juice
Marlin Large, fast game fish (up to 110 km/h), also eaten in fine dining
Minaret Tall tower with onion shaped crown standing clear of its mosque
Monsoon A wind direction determining a season of weather
Mooring buoy Permanent buoys lessen the harmful effects of anchors on the delicate underwater ecosystem
Multi-tank Scuba diving with multiple gas tanks enables longer duration underwater
MVR Banking code for Maldivian rufiyaa, exchanged at roughly 13 to 1 US dollar
Night dive Going scuba diving at night for a better sight of predators
Night diving Scuba diving at night for a better sight of predators
Nitrox Nitrogen/oxygen breathing gas lasts longer than the usual mix
Nudibranch Shell-less mollusc in a variety of shapes and colours
Open water certification Scuba dive training for the competency required to dive without professional supervision
PADI Professional Association of Diving Instructors. World recognised training courses.
Parrotfish Common, colourful fish who grind up coral into the sand that forms coral islands
Pelagic Fish that live in the open sea
Plunge pool Small but deep pool for dipping rather than swimming
Pontoon Floating bridge or landing stage
President Since 2008 the Maldives is a democracy with multiparty elections, led by a president
Pumped Sand pumped from the lagoon to fill beach gaps. Looks good but feels coarser
Pumping Sand pumped from the lagoon to fill beach gaps. Looks good but feels coarser
Rebreather Scuba diving equipment that recycles breath for longer duration underwater
Reef Coral barrier under the sea - mostly island reefs in Maldives
Rf Abbreviation for Rufiyaa, Maldives' principle unit of currency, and exchanged at roughly 13 to 1 US dollar
Rufiyaa Maldivian currency (MVR), made of 100 laari, and exchanged at roughly 13 to 1 US dollar.
Safari A cruise or boat-based holidayholiday centred on one activity
Sand pumping Sand pumped from the lagoon to fill beach gaps. Looks good but feels coarser.
Scuba dive Swim underwater by carrying a breathing gas set
Scuba diving Swimming underwater by carrying a breathing gas set
Seaplane Common means of transfer to farther resorts (and a breathtaking journey)
Skipjack Type of tuna fish, farmed for food
Snorkel Swim on the surface with a mask for visibility and a tube for breathing
Snorkelling Swimming on the surface with a mask for visibility and a snorkelsnorkel tube for breathing
Sommelier Wine steward
Sultan Sovereign Muslim leaders ruled from conversion to Islam (1153) until after Independence (1965)
Swing joli Traditional Maldivian outdoor swing seat
Thakuru Maldivian butler
Thila Underwater column of coral
Thilafushi Artificial island west of Malé created as a landfill to solve rubbish disposal problems
Thundukunaa Beautiful traditional Maldivian grass mats
Titan triggerfish Feisty reef fish up to 75cm in length
Triggerfish Brightly coloured spotted or striped fish, some growing up to 90cm
Tsunami After the tsunami on 26/12/04 some resorts needed rebuilding
UTC Coordinated Universal Time, effectively the same as Greenwich Meantime (GMT - the UK in winter)
Wahoo Green-blue game fish, popular for its succulent flesh and fast speed (up to 80 km/h)
Wataniya The Maldives' second phone company
Water bungalow Over-water room on stilts in the lagoon, usually connected by a jetty
Water suite Top end over-water room on stilts in the lagoon, usually connected by a jetty
Water villa Upmarket over-water room on stilts in the lagoon, usually connected by a jetty
Yellowfin Large tuna hunted for sport and also widely eaten
Ziyarat

'Holy place'



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Adrian Neville - Seven Holidays : Your Guide to the MaldivesAdrian Neville lived in the Maldives and writes the definitive guide book: "Resorts of Maldives", now in its fifth edition. Having tirelessly reviewed every single resort, he is now continually asked ‘which is the best Maldives Hotel for my holidayholiday or vacationvacation?’ Enter SevenHolidays.com – his comprehensive independent guide to Maldives holidaysholidays and how to book your perfect holiday. We cover everything from the cheap island resorts through to the luxury five star Maldives resortshow to book your perfect holiday. We cover everything from the cheap island resorts through to the luxury five star Maldives resorts