Baikal

American  

[bahy-kahl] / baɪˈkɑl /

noun

1. Lake Baikal, a lake in the Russian Federation, in southern Siberia: the deepest lake in the world. 13,200 square miles (34,188 square kilometers); 5,714 feet (1,742 meters) deep.

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Baikal ¹ British  

/ baɪˈkɑːl, -ˈkæl /

noun

1. Russian name: Ozero Baykal.  a lake in Russia, in SE Siberia: the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia and the deepest in the world. Greatest depth: over 1500 m (5000 ft). Area: about 33 670 sq km (13 000 sq miles)

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Baikal ² British  

/ -ˈkæl, baɪˈkɑːl /

noun

1. a type of Russian-made handgun, designed to fire tear-gas cylinders but often modified to fire bullets

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Etymology

Origin of Baikal

First recorded in 1735–40; from Russian Baykál, from Buryat Bajgal (Nuur) “(Lake) Baikal”

Example Sentences

In late January, a Chinese tourist died after a car he was travelling overturned on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

"There is one human fossil from Siberia, although not from Lake Baikal but farther west, at a place called Ust'-Ishim," Goebel said.

From Science Daily • Sep. 22, 2023

He was from the nearby town of Talovka, had studied at the Baikal State University and served in the army in Vladivostok.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2023

The Lena River, the world's 11th longest, originates near Lake Baikal in the Irkutsk region in southeastern Siberia and flows into the Arctic Ocean.

From Reuters • Jun. 13, 2023

Chinese Tartary, bounded east by the sea of Japan, south by the Great Wall of China, west by the Gobi or great sandy desert; and north, by the Baikal Lake. 

From Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China During the years 1844-5-6. Volume 1 [of 2] by Huc, Evariste Regis