peninsula

noun

pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio) -shə-lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
: a portion of land nearly surrounded by water and connected with a larger body by an isthmus
also : a piece of land jutting out into the water whether with or without a well-defined isthmus
the Italian peninsula
peninsular adjective

Examples of peninsula in a Sentence

They built their house on a narrow peninsula. the peninsula is constantly buffeted by storms
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Hurricane Watch for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti has been discontinued. Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025 Two seasons ago, a motley assembly of A-listers including Lewis Hamilton, Zoey Deutch, Nina Dobrev and Jared Leto, arrived to the Antarctic peninsula on a 414-foot mega-yacht, sporting sequin dresses and tuxedos, sipping tulips of champagne. Brad Japhe, HollywoodReporter, 25 Oct. 2025 As of reporting, the NHC said hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings were in effect for Jamaica, as well as southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 Born in the Bronx to an Irish-American mother and a father with Neapolitan roots—a bookmaker and co-owner of a bar on the Throggs Neck peninsula—Ferrara spent his first eight years in the borough’s Morris Park neighborhood. Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for peninsula

Word History

Etymology

Latin paeninsula, from paene almost + insula island

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peninsula was circa 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Peninsula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peninsula. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

peninsula

noun
pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio) -ˈnin-chə-lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
: a piece of land nearly surrounded by water or sticking out into the water
peninsular
-s(ə-)lər How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
-chə-lər
adjective
Etymology

from Latin paeninsula "peninsula," from paene- "almost" and insula "island" — related to insulate, isle, isolate

More from Merriam-Webster on peninsula

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