yurt
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of yurt
First recorded in 1885–90; from Russian yurt, from Turkic; compare Turkish yurt “home, fatherland,” with cognates meaning “abode, dwelling” in all branches of Turkic
Explanation
A yurt is a round, tent-like home. Traditional yurts are portable, lending themselves well to nomadic lifestyles. A yurt's structure is usually provided by flexible wooden framing, covered by furs, felt, or canvas. The word comes from the Russian yurta, from a Turkic root that means "homeland," also literally referring to the imprint a yurt leaves in the ground when it's moved. In various parts of Central Asia, yurts have been common dwellings for thousands of years. In the U.S., where they're often used for camping, their popularity is more recent.
Vocabulary lists containing yurt
Chinese History - Introductory
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Chinese History - Middle School and High School
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 27–September 2, 2022
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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.
I met the owner, Ada Tourtsakis, at her yurt on the outer edge of Sedona’s civilization.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
She hopes to travel to Kyrgyzstan and stay in a yurt after seeing Instagram posts about the destination.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Over time, the yurt gatherings grew larger and larger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025
It's enough to shake Santa's workshop, although in a designer outlet like this, the resident Santa is living in a "yurt".
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2024
I stood with my arms hanging at my sides, because I no longer had any use in Smithy’s yurt.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
