Turkestan

or Tur·ki·stan

[ tur-kuh-stan, -stahn, tur-kuh-stan, -stahn ]

/ ˈtɜr kəˌstæn, -ˌstɑn, ˌtɜr kəˈstæn, -ˈstɑn /

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noun

a vast region in western and central Asia, east of the Caspian Sea: includes territory in the south central part of Xinjiang province in China (Eastern Turkestan or Chinese Turkestan ), a strip of northern Afghanistan, and the area (Russian Turkestan ) comprising the republics of Kazakhstan, Kirghizia (Kyrgyzstan), Tadzhikistan (Tajikistan), Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

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Origin of Turkestan

First recorded in 1710–20; from Persian Torkestān; literally, “land of the Turks”

OTHER WORDS FROM Turkestan

Tur·ke·stan·i·an, adjective, noun

Words nearby Turkestan

Turishcheva, turista, turiya, Turk, Turkana, Turkestan, Turkestani, turkey, turkey brown, turkey buzzard, Turkey carpet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Turkestan in a sentence

The piedmont zone of grasslands in Turkestan was an ideal land for primitive agriculturists practising a hoe-culture, as at Anau.
The New Stone Age in Northern Europe|John M. Tyler
Even in eastern Turkestan there are still strong evidences of Nordic blood in the physiognomy of the people.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind|Herbert George Wells
As long as we were on the great winter route to Eastern Turkestan they must all believe that Khotan was my destination.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin
I wanted to get out of this labyrinth of mountains and valleys which pour their waters into Eastern Turkestan.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin

In the centre of Turkestan are but few good cities; but the best city of that land is called Octorar.
Early Travels in Palestine|Arculf et al.

British Dictionary definitions for Turkestan

Turkestan

Turkistan

/ (ˌtɜːkɪˈstɑːn) /

noun

an extensive region of central Asia between Siberia in the north and Tibet, India, Afghanistan, and Iran in the south: formerly divided into West (Russian) Turkestan (also called Soviet Central Asia), comprising present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan and the S part of Kazakhstan, and East (Chinese) Turkestan, approximating to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012