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 of peninsula

• 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

Frankincense is an aromatic resin harvested from Boswellia trees in northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026

But this coming September, country fans and artists will gather on the beaches of Cabo San Lucas for the very first multi-day country concert in the oceanside town on the Baja California peninsula. —Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2026

Thanks to a slow-moving weather system stalled over the Florida peninsula, the Orlando area will see an unusually high amount of rain for April through Thursday — with blustery conditions to boot. —Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026

Al-Masri pointed to the Punta Cacique peninsula in the Guanacaste region as a perfect example, where the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique is perched above Playa Penca, offering sweeping views of the Pacific. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2026

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