The largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It was held by Spain, Germany, and Japan before being captured by U.S. troops in July 1944 during World War II. It was part of the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947 to 1978 and now serves as the capital of the Northern Marianas.
Saipanese Sai'pa·nese' (-nēz', -nēs') adj. & n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
