greenland

IPA/ˈɡriːn.lənd/
KK[ɡrˈinlənd]IPA/ˈɡriːn.lənd/

greenland — noun

1. a self-governing island territory that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark and sit

1.nounB1
Definition

a self-governing island territory that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark and sits between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic; the world's largest island apart from the continent of Australia

Example

Yuki is planning a trip to Greenland next summer to see the Northern Lights.

Greenland became an autonomous territory of Denmark in 1979.

political context: autonomous territory of

greenland — adjective

Word family

  • Greenlander
    nounB1
  • Greenlandic
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard are all northern territories that English learners sometimes mix up. Greenland is by far the largest — the world's biggest island — and is an autonomous Danish territory with a majority Inuit population. Iceland is a separate, independent country in the North Atlantic, smaller than Greenland but more populated, and known for its volcanoes and geothermal springs. Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, much smaller than both, famous for its polar bears and research stations. A helpful trick: Greenland is mostly ice, Iceland is mostly green — the opposite of what the names suggest.

Greenland ↗IcelandSvalbard

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the coast of Greenland
  • the ice sheet of Greenland
  • the capital of Greenland
  • the population of Greenland
  • the government of Greenland
  • the people of Greenland

Phrases

  • travel to Greenland
  • visit Greenland
  • explore Greenland
  • settle in Greenland
  • the size of Greenland

Prepositions

  • in Greenland
  • to Greenland
  • from Greenland
  • across Greenland
  • off the coast of Greenland

Etymology

Old NorseEnglish

The name Greenland comes from the Old Norse 'Grœnland,' meaning 'green land.' According to medieval Icelandic sagas, the Viking explorer Erik the Red gave it this name around 985 AD to attract settlers from Iceland, even though much of the island is covered by ice. The native Greenlandic name is 'Kalaallit Nunaat,' which means 'land of the Kalaallit people.'