Saipan

geographical name

Sai·​pan sī-ˈpan How to pronounce Saipan (audio)
-ˈpän,
ˈsī-ˌpan,
-ˌpän
island of the western Pacific Ocean in the south central Mariana Islands area 47 square miles (122 square kilometers), population 48,220

Note: In 1920, Saipan was included in a Japanese mandate under the League of Nations. In World War II, it was captured by U.S. troops after fierce fighting during June and July of 1944. It served as a major American air base from November 1944 until the end of the war.

Saipanese adjective or noun

Dictionary Entries Near Saipan

Cite this Entry

“Saipan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Saipan. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Saipan

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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