Okinawa

American  

[oh-kuh-nou-wuh, -nah-wuh, aw-kee-nah-wah] / ˌoʊ kəˈnaʊ wə, -ˈnɑ wə, ˈɔ kiˈnɑ wɑ /

noun

1. the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, in the N Pacific, SW of Japan: taken by U.S. forces April–June 1945 in the last major amphibious campaign of World War II. 544 sq. mi. (1,409 sq. km).

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Okinawa British  

/ ˌəʊkɪˈnɑːwə /

noun

1. a coral island of SW Japan, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands in the N Pacific: scene of heavy fighting in World War II; administered by the US (1945–72); agricultural. Chief town: Naha. Pop: 1 318 218 (2000). Area: 1176 sq km (454 sq miles)

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Okinawa Cultural  

1. Island in the western Pacific Ocean; part of Japan.

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During World War II, American forces seized the island from Japan in a particularly bloody campaign. It was returned to Japan in 1972.

Other Word Forms

• Okinawan adjective

Example Sentences

In places like Okinawa, Sardinia and Loma Linda, the so-called Blue Zones where people often live past 100, no one really retires.

From MarketWatch

The study, published in Science Advances, involved researchers from Otago and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

From Science Daily

In Japan, Physalia utriculus has long been known to inhabit waters from Okinawa to Sagami Bay.

From Science Daily

For many Japanese visitors, Okinawa, with its white stretches of sand and tropical climate, makes for an ideal, no-fuss beach vacation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Prosecutors said Zhao transmitted "plans for a large-scale maritime training exercise in the Pacific theatre, operational orders and electrical diagrams and blueprints for a Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system located in Okinawa, Japan".

From BBC