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

• cape
• point
• headland

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 Krasheninnikov volcano is located less than 150 miles away from the epicenter of the earthquake that struck off the east coast of the Russian peninsula on July 29. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025

Russian officials issued and then lifted a tsunami warning for the Kamchatka peninsula on Sunday after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Newsweek reported. —Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025

Lithuania Dividing the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon, this 60-mile peninsula is a place of shifting dunes, sleepy fishing villages, and forest trails where wild boar sometimes wander. —Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025

The hurricane center said the storm was located about 785 miles away from the southern tip of the peninsula with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph with higher gusts, with a turn to the north-northwest expected over the next couple of days. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 31 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin paeninsula, from paene almost + insula island

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for peninsula

• insole
• insula

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