Taklamakan

American  

[tah-kluh-muh-kahn] / ˌtɑ klə məˈkɑn /

Or Taklimakan

noun

1. a desert in south central Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in China. About 125,000 sq. mi. (323,750 sq. km).

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Etymology

Origin of Taklamakan

First recorded in 1895–1900; of uncertain origin: perhaps from Turkic taqlar makan “place of ruins”; perhaps from Uyghur Takla, from Persian tark “to abandon” + Persian makan “place”; some Chinese scholars connect Taklamakan and Tocharian ( def. )

Example Sentences

To avoid conflict and visa restrictions he took a short flight from Armenia to Kazakhstan where he continued to climb the Pamir mountain ranges to China, not only overcoming the challenges of altitude but suspicious local police as he crossed the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts.

From BBC

China's nuclear weapon tests usually take place domestically and it previously test-fired ICBMs west into the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang region.

From BBC

As you know, this is the dangerous leg of the journey that went through the Taklamakan Desert.

From Literature

We slunk toward the Taklamakan Desert with halfhearted steps.

From Literature

The packed dirt road became loose under our feet as we approached the skirt of the Taklamakan.

From Literature