mainland — the main area of land of a country, not including islands
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the main area of land of a country, not including islands
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmeɪnlænd/
Example Sentences
- The penguin got lost and accidentally swam to the mainland instead of Antarctica.
- Living on an island is peaceful, but sometimes I miss the convenience of mainland shopping malls.
- The pirate buried his treasure on the island but kept the map on the mainland for safety.
mainland
NOUN[/ˈmeɪnlænd/]
the main area of land of a country, not including islands
From island to mainland
"Main land!" the sailor cheered as the mainland finally appeared beyond the waves. (the large main land finally comes into view after crossing the sea)
The mainland welcomed every island traveler safely back to the homeland.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Mainland is a compound word formed by combining main and land. It emerged to describe the principal or largest landmass of a country or region, as opposed to its islands or outlying territories. The term literally means 'chief land' and evolved to refer specifically to the continental portion of a nation.
Breakdown
main (chief, principal) + land (earth, territory). The compound combines an adjective describing primacy with a noun denoting geographical area, creating a noun that identifies the dominant landmass.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The penguin got lost and accidentally swam to the mainland instead of Antarctica.”
“Living on an island is peaceful, but sometimes I miss the convenience of mainland shopping malls.”
“The pirate buried his treasure on the island but kept the map on the mainland for safety.”
“My cat thinks our backyard is the entire mainland until she sees the neighbor's bigger garden.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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