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 Pazyryk "ice mummies" were found inside ice tombs in the Altai mountains in Siberia in the 19th century, but it has been difficult to see the tattoos.

From BBC

The area near the epicenter off Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula did see damage, but it was sparsely populated.

From Los Angeles Times

Vitaly Ivanov grew up in a small village in Siberia and dropped out of college where he was learning to be a mechanic.

From BBC

I resigned in protest when it became clear I was going to be transferred to office Siberia or forced out.

From Salon

It's not just Siberia and an engineered “woolly mammoth” we should worry about, though.

From Salon

Related Words

• oblivion