mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce mainland (audio)
-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

Examples of mainland in a Sentence

the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days
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.
In addition to the slowdown in mainland China, the Bain report also highlighted shifting purchasing patterns – particularly among younger consumers. Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024 And multinational media groups have turned to Taiwan as Hong Kong and mainland China companies have become more complicated to work with. Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024 Lululemon, next set to report earnings Dec. 5, has also bucked the trend with its report this summer of a 34% surge in mainland China revenue for the quarter ended July 28. Sonia Heng,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024 The hurricane, which made landfall in late September, was the deadliest storm to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mainland 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mainland was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mainland

Cite this Entry

“Mainland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainland. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

mainland

noun
main·​land ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce mainland (audio)
-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 How to pronounce Mainland (audio)
-lənd
1
2
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Orkney Islands
3
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Shetland Islands

More from Merriam-Webster on mainland

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!