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View synonyms for mainland

mainland

1

[ meyn-land, -luhnd ]

noun

  1. the principal land of a country, region, etc., as distinguished from adjacent islands or a peninsula:

    the mainland of Greece.

  2. any part of or all of the continental United States or conterminous United States, especially from the perspective of someone in a geographically detached U.S. state or territory, such as Hawaii or Guam:

    I’m not sure where on the mainland Jasmine went to college, but it may have been Milwaukee.



Mainland

2

[ meyn-land, -luhnd ]

noun

  1. the largest of the Shetland Islands. About 200 sq. mi. (520 sq. km).

mainland

1

/ ˈmeɪnlənd /

noun

  1. the main part of a land mass as opposed to an island or peninsula
  2. the mainland
    the mainland a particular landmass as viewed from a nearby island with which it has close links, such as Great Britain as viewed from Northern Ireland or continental Australia as viewed from Tasmania


Mainland

2

/ ˈmeɪnlənd /

noun

  1. an island off N Scotland: the largest of the Shetland Islands. Chief town: Lerwick. Pop: 17 550 (2001). Area: about 583 sq km (225 sq miles)
  2. Also calledPomona an island off N Scotland: the largest of the Orkney Islands. Chief town: Kirkwall. Pop: 15 315 (2001). Area: 492 sq km (190 sq miles)
  3. the Mainland
    the Mainland a South Islanders' name for South Island

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Derived Forms

  • ˈmainlander, noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of mainland1

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; main 1, land

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Example Sentences

In 1957, the islands came under repeated shelling by Mainland--or as it was then called, “Red”-- China.

The two islands are now tourist sites for visitors from Taiwan and mainland China.

Palombo, who was on the mainland at the time, told him to move on.

Even now, the protest sites see a good number of Mainland Chinese tourists who stop by to read the posters and banners.

Shoppers from Mainland China arrived in droves, and gained front row seats to civil disobedience in action.

When all these ceremonies were finished, they carried him for burial to an isolated island, far from the mainland.

The mainland of the great northern cove and the eastern side of the Islands were thick with trees: oaks, buckeye, willows, madroo.

In Alderney, I am told, it has one small station on the mainland on the side nearest the French coast.

By the time of our return the tide had already risen several feet and we were rowed to the mainland in a boat.

Lake Luna was a-glare from the mainland to Cavern Island, and the freight boats had given over running until the spring break-up.

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