Taklamakan

or Ta·kli·ma·kan

[ tah-kluh-muh-kahn ]

noun

1. a desert in south central Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in China. About 125,000 sq. mi. (323,750 sq. km).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Taklamakan¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; of uncertain origin: perhaps from Turkic taqlar makan “place of ruins”; perhaps from Uyghur Takla, from Persian tark “to abandon” + Persian makan “place”; some Chinese scholars connect Taklamakan and Tocharian ( def )

Example Sentences

China's nuclear weapon tests usually take place domestically and it previously test-fired ICBMs west into the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang region.

From BBC

The packed dirt road became loose under our feet as we approached the skirt of the Taklamakan.

From Literature

The Taklamakan scoured at our faces and ground into our teeth.

From Literature

As you know, this is the dangerous leg of the journey that went through the Taklamakan Desert.

From Literature

We slunk toward the Taklamakan Desert with halfhearted steps.

From Literature