boreal
adjective
of or relating to the north wind.
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boreal
American
[bawr-ee-uhl, bohr‑]
/ ˈbɔr i əl, ˈboʊr‑ /
adjective
-
of or relating to the north wind.
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of or relating to the north.
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(sometimes initial capital letter) pertaining to Boreas.
boreal
1
British
/ ˈbɔːrɪəl /
adjective
Boreal
2
British
/ ˈbɔːrɪəl /
adjective
-
of or denoting the coniferous forests in the north of the N hemisphere
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designating a climatic zone having snowy winters and short summers
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designating a dry climatic period from about 7500 to 5500 bc , characterized by cold winters, warm summers, and a flora dominated by pines and hazels
boreal
Scientific
/ bôr′ē-əl /
-
Relating to the north or to northern areas.
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Relating to the north wind.
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Relating to the forest areas of the Northern Temperate Zone that are dominated by coniferous trees such as spruce, fir, and pine.
Etymology
Origin of boreal
1425–75; late Middle English boriall < Late Latin boreālis northern ( Latin bore(ās) Boreas + -ālis -al 1 )
Vocabulary lists containing boreal
Canada - Introductory
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Canada - Middle School and High School
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Russia - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wildfires are part of the natural cycle, and play an essential role in the regeneration of Canada's boreal forests, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources of Canada.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2025
The global average temperature in June, July and August — known as the boreal summer in the Northern hemisphere — was a record-breaking 62.24 degrees, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2024
The puzzle game Lorelei and the Laser Eyes opens with the protagonist — a well-dressed woman with the solemnity of a catwalk model — inside a forest where boreal owls roam.
From New York Times • May 15, 2024
"The debate over the relative effect of climate or habitat change isn't unique to deer in the boreal, either; it's one of the most pressing issues facing applied ecologists globally."
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024
He is Frank Volkheimer, an upperclassman, seventeen years old, a colossal boy from some boreal village, a legend among the younger cadets.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
