peninsula

[ puh-nin-suh-luh, -nins-yuh-luh ]

noun

1. an area of land almost completely surrounded by water except for an isthmus connecting it with the mainland.
2. the Peninsula,
   1. Spain and Portugal together; Iberian Peninsula; Iberia.
   2. a district in SE Virginia between the York and James rivers: Civil War battles.

Peninsula

¹

noun

1. the Peninsula
   short for the Iberian Peninsula

peninsula

²

/ pɪˈnɪnsjʊlə /

noun

1. a narrow strip of land projecting into a sea or lake from the mainland

peninsula

/ pə-nĭn′syə-lə /

1. A piece of land that projects into a body of water and is connected with a larger landmass.

peninsula

1. A body of land enclosed on three sides by water, jutting out from a larger body of land.

Usage

The noun peninsula is sometimes confused with the adjective peninsular: the Iberian peninsula (not peninsular )

Derived Forms

• penˈinsular, adjective

Other Words From

• pen·insu·lar adjective
• pen·insu·lar·ism pen·in·su·lar·i·ty [p, uh, -nin-s, uh, -, lar, -i-tee, -nins-y, uh, -], noun
• transpen·insu·lar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of peninsula¹

1530–40; < Latin paenīnsula, equivalent to paen- pen- + īnsula island

Word History and Origins

Origin of peninsula¹

C16: from Latin, literally: almost an island, from paene pene- + insula island

Example Sentences

His team of five will be staffing the world’s most southerly museum and post office on the football-pitch-sized Goudier Island, off the Antarctic peninsula below South America.

From BBC

Southern California Gas Co. does not have plans to reinstate gas service to homes on the peninsula that have been without the service.

From Los Angeles Times

The bigger problem is that this is "an indication of a warming climate over the peninsula," Meier said.

From Salon

Most recently, a wave of eight eruptions in the Reykanes peninsula has damaged infrastructure and upended lives in the community of Grindavik.

From BBC

Curve around Golf Island, a narrow peninsula with a hefty rock.

From Los Angeles Times