Siberia

[sahy-beer-ee-uh]

noun

1. Russian Sibir. an extensive region in the Russian Federation in N Asia, extending from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific.

2. any undesirable or isolated locale, job, etc., to which one is assigned as punishment, a mark of disfavor, or the like.

Siberia

/ saɪˈbɪərɪə /

noun

1. a vast region of Russia and N Kazakhstan: extends from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific and from the Arctic Ocean to the borders with China and Mongolia; colonized after the building of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Area: 13 807 037 sq km (5 330 896 sq miles)

Siberia

1. Region of Russia stretching from north-central to northeastern Asia.

As a consequence of Siberia's harsh conditions and its historical function as a place of punishment, to be “sent to Siberia” has become a metaphor for demotion, disgrace, or other forms of status diminution.

Known for its vast space, long and severely cold winters, and few inhabitants widely scattered in small settlements, Siberia has been for many centuries a place of political and criminal exile for Russians who anger the government's authorities.

Other Word Forms

• Siberian adjective
• trans-Siberian adjective

Example Sentences

The Babushkawoos fussed and complained, and Boris went so far as yelling, “Art is dumb,” whereupon Penelope gave him a look that could have thawed Siberia.

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Rosatom has the only facility in the world -- at Seversk in Siberia -- capable of carrying out key parts of the conversion of reprocessed uranium to enriched reprocessed uranium.

Read more on Barron's

He met her mother—whose family survived Auschwitz—in a labor camp in Siberia.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He later documented his journeys through India on elephant-back and across Siberia by sledge.

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In April, a schoolgirl in Chita, Siberia, needed hospital care after overdosing on Molecule.

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Related Words

• oblivion