Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A peninsula in Central America: A large landmass projecting into the Gulf of Mexico, located between the Bay of Campeche and the Caribbean Sea.
   • A state of Mexico: A political and administrative division of Mexico, situated on the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Peninsula):
  • The Yucatán is known for its cenotes and Mayan ruins.
  • We traveled across the Yucatán by car.
• Proper noun (Mexican state):
  • Mérida is the capital city of Yucatán.
  • The economy of Yucatán relies on tourism and agriculture.

Advanced Usage

• "The Yucatán Peninsula": The full, precise geographical name for the region.
  • The Chicxulub crater, linked to the dinosaur extinction, is on the Yucatán Peninsula.
• "Yucatec" or "Yucatecan": Used as adjectives relating to the Yucatán or its people/culture.
  • Yucatec cuisine is distinct from other Mexican regions.
  • She is a Yucatecan artist.

Variants and Related Words

• Yucatec Maya (n): The Mayan language spoken in the Yucatán region.
  • He is studying the Yucatec Maya language.
• Yucatán Channel (n): The strait between Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula connecting the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Synonyms

• Peninsula: A piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water. (This is a general synonym for the geographical feature, not a direct name substitute.)

Related Phrases

• Riviera Maya: A tourist region along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.
  • Their resort was located on the Riviera Maya.

Noun

1. a peninsula in Central America extending into the Gulf of Mexico between the Bay of Campeche and the Caribbean Sea
2. a state of Mexico on the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula