peninsula

noun

pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə  -shə-lə 

: a portion of land nearly surrounded by water and connected with a larger body by an isthmus

also : a piece of land jutting out into the water whether with or without a well-defined isthmus

the Italian peninsula

peninsular

pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lər 

-shə-lər

adjective

Synonyms

• arm
• cape
• foreland
• headland
• ness
• point
• promontory
• spit

Examples of peninsula in a Sentence

They built their house on a narrow peninsula.

the peninsula is constantly buffeted by storms

Recent Examples on the Web

The region is an up-and-coming luxury destination on the Balkan peninsula, with a presence from global hospitality brands like Meliá. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2024

She was approached by the governor’s office of the municipality located on the Yucatán peninsula, which proposed different activities to help fight obesity. —Jad El Reda, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2024

Peddling Russia Propaganda Image In Russia, Mr. Dougan refashioned himself as a kind of journalist, documenting his travels around the country, including Lake Baikal in Siberia and Crimea, the peninsula in Ukraine that Russia annexed in 2014 in violation of international law. —Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 29 May 2024

This two-story, two-bedroom unit features vaulted ceilings, wide-plank wood floors, a chef's kitchen with a waterfall peninsula, a sunken living room with a wraparound gas fireplace, and floating stairs to a primary bedroom lit by clerestory windows. —The Week Us, theweek, 7 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin paeninsula, from paene almost + insula island

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

peninsula

noun

pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə  -ˈnin-chə-lə 

: a piece of land nearly surrounded by water or sticking out into the water

peninsular

-s(ə-)lər 

-chə-lər

adjective

Etymology

from Latin paeninsula "peninsula," from paene- "almost" and insula "island" — related to insulate, isle, isolate