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Glite Dictionary
Qara Qum

Qara Qum

9.9
A desert in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea with dry sand and few plants
  • proper noun
translation icon : Qara Qum
  • The Qara Qum is one of the largest sand deserts in Central Asia.

Examples

  • Camels are well adapted to the harsh conditions of the Qara Qum.

  • The Qara Qum is famous for its vast stretches of sand dunes and scarce water sources.

  • Many irrigation projects have altered the landscape of the Qara Qum.

  • The Qara Qum desert is known for its harsh climate.

  • Have you ever visited Qara Qum?

  • In the summer, temperatures in the Qara Qum can exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

  • Wildlife such as snakes and lizards can be found in the arid expanse of the Qara Qum.

Synonyms

Turkestan Desert
vsQara Qum
7.1

A dry area in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea with large areas of sand and few plants

is the same in meaning but differs only in name or spelling
Kara Kum
vsQara Qum
8.9

A large desert in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea

is the same place but differs in the chosen name form
Karakum Desert
vsQara Qum
6.5

A large dry area of sand in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea

focuses on the same region but adds physical detail not present

Surface Forms

Qara Qum main

Morphology

Qara + Qum

This is a toponym (proper name) from Turkmen/Persian roots and its constituents are not English words (dictionary entries not found), so an average B1 learner who knows English constituent words would not be able to derive the desert meaning. Even though the parts likely have meaning in other languages (e.g., Turkic/Persian roots), that cross-linguistic knowledge is not available to most learners, making the phrase non-compositional for them.

Etymology

The place name Qara Qum comes from two local words, Qara and Qum, which mean 'black' and 'sand'. The name gives a clear picture of dark sand and stones in the area, so it became the name for the large desert in Turkmenistan.