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

Passengers, who were not medically evacuated, disembarked in Tenerife, Spain, in May before they were flown home.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

My four grandparents came from Spain to Cuba — from my mother’s side, they were from Tenerife, Isla Canaria.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, which have become a gateway for tens of thousands of irregular arrivals seeking a better life in Europe.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

The MV Hondius left Spain's Tenerife island on Monday, and is expected to arrive to the Dutch city of Rotterdam on 17 May.

From BBC • May 13, 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