Timbuktu

American  

[tim-buhk-too, tim-buhk-too] / ˌtɪm bʌkˈtu, tɪmˈbʌk tu /

noun

1. French Tombouctou. a town in central Mali, W Africa, near the Niger River.

2. any faraway place.

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Timbuktu British  

/ ˌtɪmbʌkˈtuː /

noun

1. French name: Tombouctou. a town in central Mali, on the River Niger: terminus of a trans-Saharan caravan route; a great Muslim centre (14th–16th centuries). Pop: 31 973 (1998)

2. any distant or outlandish place

   from here to Timbuktu

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Timbuktu ¹ Cultural  

1. A remote town in western Africa. Figuratively, it is a faraway and unknown place.

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Timbuktu ² Cultural  

1. City in central Mali, in western Africa, near the Niger River.

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Discover More

By the fourteenth century, it was famous for its gold trade.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Timbuktu

They are now advancing on Timbuktu and seeking to lay siege to the capital of Bamako.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

FLA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane told AFP on Wednesday that the rebels intend to take control of Gao, Timbuktu and Menaka following their success in Kidal.

From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026

In December, foreign tourists were able to visit Timbuktu for the first time in a decade after jihadists rendered it too dangerous.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026

Mariam Cissé, said to be in her 20s and with over 100,000 TikTok followers, posted videos about life in her Tonka hometown in the northern Timbuktu region and often expressed support for the army.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2025

For an instant I felt a pang, picturing myself in Tokyo or Timbuktu, craving one of my aunts peach pies.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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