Tenerife

American  

[ten-uh-rif, -reef, te-ne-ree-fe] / ˌtɛn əˈrɪf, -ˈrif, ˌtɛ nɛˈri fɛ /

Or Teneriffe

noun

1. the largest of the Canary Islands, off the northwestern coast of Africa. 794 sq. mi. (2,055 sq. km). Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

2. Pico de Tenerife Pico de Teide.

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Tenerife British  

/ teneˈrife, ˌtɛnəˈriːf /

noun

1. a Spanish island in the Atlantic, off the NW coast of Africa: the largest of the Canary Islands; volcanic and mountainous; tourism and agriculture. Capital: Santa Cruz. Pop: 778 071 (2002 est). Area: 2058 sq km (795 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Tenerife

First recorded in 1595–1600; from Guanche (an extinct Berber language spoken on the Canary Islands) tene, teni “mountain” + ife “white,” specifically Mount Teide ( def. )

Example Sentences

The trip was supposed to finish there, but the ship eventually sailed to Tenerife in the Canary Islands for the evacuations by plane.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The head of the World Health Organization is seeking to reassure residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife worried about the anticipated arrival there of a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

The ship has not docked directly in Tenerife - instead it is anchored out at sea and passengers are being ferried to Granadilla port, well away from residential areas.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

In Tenerife, crews wearing full-body protective suits escorted travelers from the ship to waiting transport, reflecting heightened precautions around the suspected hantavirus exposure.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

The Beagle lifted anchor on December 27, 1831, with seventy-three sailors on board, clearing a gale and tacking southward toward Tenerife.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee