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

Swells generated by Priscilla are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern and west-central Mexico, as well as portions of the coast of the southern Baja California peninsula, forecasters said. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025

Early Sunday on the same sparsely populated peninsula, the Krasheninnikov volcano spewed white ash clouds into the sky for the first time in hundreds of years. —Barry Levitt, Time, 7 Oct. 2025

For those in charge of protecting the biosphere, keeping the beaches on the peninsula’s eastern side free of trash washed in from the sea is a constant struggle. —Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025

Located on a remote peninsula along the northwestern rim of Manitoba’s Hudson Bay, the eight-room Seal River Heritage Lodge sits directly in the path of a polar bear migration route. —Susan Portnoy, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 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