Okinawa

American  

[oh-kuh-nau-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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Okinawa

"I just can't accept this anymore. How many more women in Okinawa have to suffer like this? Everyone is angry," she told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of the Third Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, ordered all American military activity halted for two days of on-base training in standards and discipline.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Okinawa governor Genta Koja lodged a formal protest over the alleged killing with Watson and U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

In the wake of World War II, Japan regained its sovereignty under the San Francisco Peace Treaty of 1952, but Okinawa remained under American control, making it a hub of US military build-up.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

I spent sixteen months on Okinawa, where I served with a unit of army engineers.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

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