peninsula

noun

pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio) -shə-lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
: 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 adjective

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 Ukraine has declared the recovery of Crimea as one of its principal war objectives, and is in the midst of a faltering counteroffensive that was aimed at cutting off Russia’s logistics lines to the peninsula. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Even further north — on the country’s uppermost peninsula closest to Nicaragua (an hour from LIR airport) — is Costa Elena, a new eco-luxury community and ocean club with 10 miles of virginal coastline, renowned for kite-surfing and snorkeling. Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2023 But the southern end of the peninsula also just took the brunt of Hurricane Norma, which made landfall as a Category 1 storm and dumped an enormous amount of rain onto the desert, completely changing the radical terrain. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 15 Nov. 2023 The area had lain dormant for almost 800 years until early 2020, when intense seismic activity started on the peninsula. Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir Bloomberg (wpns), arkansasonline.com, 14 Nov. 2023 And while the kitchen wasn’t wide enough for an island, the peninsula makes up for it, allowing the family to have breakfast there and providing more counter space. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 Sand to Green says its techniques could be used in countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Namibia, Egypt, in the Arabian peninsula, some parts of the United States, and on the Mexican coast. Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 24 Oct. 2023 On Tuesday, police called in more officers to the northern peninsula to assist in the search for the former radio host, who is in his 60s, the BBC reported. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Located on the southwest edge of the Florida peninsula, Naples is a charming coastal town known for a unique combination of luxe living and laid-back vibes. Kara Franker, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peninsula.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin paeninsula, from paene almost + insula island

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peninsula was circa 1552

Dictionary Entries Near peninsula

Cite this Entry

“Peninsula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peninsula. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

peninsula

noun
pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio) -ˈnin-chə-lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
: a piece of land nearly surrounded by water or sticking out into the water
peninsular
-s(ə-)lər How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
-chə-lər
adjective
Etymology

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

More from Merriam-Webster on peninsula

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