English Lexicon

Mainland

/ˈmeɪn.lænd/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    The principal landmass of a country or region, as opposed to its islands.

    "The mainland of Australia is home to diverse ecosystems and wildlife."
  2. 2

    A large continuous area of land, especially one that is not an island.

    "Traveling from the mainland to the island requires a ferry."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'mainland' is derived from the combination of 'main', which comes from the Old French 'main' meaning 'hand' or 'main part', and 'land', which has Germanic roots. Historically, it referred to the principal landmass of a region, distinguishing it from islands or smaller landforms.

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