Mainland
/ˈmeɪnlænd/
Definitions
The primary landmass of a country or continent, as opposed to islands or peninsulas.
/ˈmeɪnlænd/
The principal landmass of a continent or country, as opposed to islands or peninsulas.
The bridge provides easy access to the mainland.
💡 Simply: Imagine you live on a small island. The mainland is the big, connected part where everything else is. It's like the big landmass, and the island is the little piece of land separate from it. For example, The trip to the zoo is on the mainland!
👶 For kids: The biggest part of land, like the big part of a country or continent, not the islands.
More Examples
Many tourists travel from the islands to the mainland for shopping.
The project involved transporting materials from the mainland to the island.
How It's Used
"The ferry connects the island to the mainland."
"We're taking a trip to the mainland next week."
Idioms & expressions
Mainland China
The area of the People's Republic of China, excluding its special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau).
"The company has expanded its operations into Mainland China."
From Middle English *mainelond*, equivalent to *main* (chief, principal) + *land*. It originally referred to the principal or largest land mass of a region, often in contrast to islands or other territories.
The term has been used since the Middle Ages to differentiate the principal land from islands or peninsulas. Its usage expanded with European exploration and colonization.
Memory tip
Think of the *main* portion of the *land*.
Word Origin
"Principal land"