peninsula

noun

pen·​in·​su·​la pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio) -shə-lə How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
Synonyms of peninsulanext
: 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
pə-ˈnin(t)-s(ə-)lər How to pronounce peninsula (audio)
-shə-lər
adjective

Synonyms of peninsula

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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 villa sits on a rare double lot property within Amanpuri’s private Phuket peninsula. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026 Our state is a pigskin peninsula that has spent generations producing quarterback legends. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Permafrost changes underway in 2026 The Seward and Baldwin peninsulas in northwestern Alaska are hot spots for lakes suddenly draining. — Anna Liljedahl, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026 Door County Wisconsin Door County is a 70-mile-long peninsula of impossibly charming villages—Sister Bay, Fish Creek, and Egg Harbor, to name a few—strung together by the scenic Door County Coastal Byway. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for peninsula

See All Rhymes for peninsula

Browse Nearby Words

pen in
peninsula
peninsula pine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Peninsula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peninsula. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All