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. 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

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 )

Other Word Forms

• peninsular adjective
• peninsularism noun
• peninsularity noun
• transpeninsular 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