mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula

mainlander

ˈmān-ˌlan-dər 

-lən-

noun

Synonyms

• continent
• landmass
• main

Examples of mainland in a Sentence

the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days

Recent Examples on the Web

Only 75,000 or 100,000 years ago did that water channel silt in and fill up, and lo, the promontory was wedded to the mainland. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024

As Bloomberg reports, mainland China provided a mixed picture, with iPhone unit sales down but revenue up, perhaps due to people buying newer, more expensive models. —Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 3 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula

mainlander noun

Geographical Definition

Mainland

geographical name

Main·​land ˈmān-ˌland 

-lənd

1

honshu

2

island in northern Scotland; largest of the Orkney Islands

3

island in northern Scotland; largest of the Shetland Islands