peninsula

noun

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

Synonyms of peninsula

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That means that in the summer, when tropical storms whip up winds and waves traveling north, a small stretch of the peninsula gets the full brunt of those waves. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Golfers, runners, birdwatchers, bikers, anglers and hobbyists of all stripes in and around Washington have long found common ground on the grassy peninsula of East Potomac Park. — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026 Since then, getting to the movies has generally meant traveling for more than an hour each way for the 125,000 full-time residents of the peninsula. — Sam Fleischner, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 Waves battered a century-old wooden boardwalk on the Long Beach peninsula and forced homeowners to evacuate. — Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peninsula

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

Rhymes for peninsula

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Browse Nearby Words

pen in
peninsula
peninsula pine
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Cite this Entry

“Peninsula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peninsula. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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

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