mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula

mainlander

ˈmān-ˌlan-dər 

-lən-

noun

Synonyms of mainland

• continent

Examples of mainland in a Sentence

the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days

Recent Examples on the Web

The phone remained there, and later Wells’ parents used a tracking app to locate it with the help of a friend back on the mainland. — Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

In Miami Beach Along the Venetian Causeway — one of the main links between Miami Beach and the mainland — DeFlock shows nine Flock cameras installed. — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

By the time Noe and his sons were back home and had moored the boat to their wharf on the narrow pass that separated Cheniere Disparue from the mainland, the last low clouds of the front hung over the Gulf. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Some Chinese residents crossed the border to buy books deemed to be too politically sensitive on the mainland. — Kanis Leung, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mainland

• armband
• backhand
• bandstand
• baseband
• broadband
• command
• cropland
• demand
• disband
• dreamland
• expand
• farmhand

Kids Definition

mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula

mainlander noun

Geographical Definition

Mainland

geographical name

Main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

1

honshu

2

island in northern Scotland; largest of the Orkney Islands

3

island in northern Scotland; largest of the Shetland Islands