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Glite Dictionary
Rub al-Khali

Rub al-Khali

9.9
A vast sandy desert in southern Saudi Arabia and nearby countries with huge sand dunes
  • proper noun
translation icon : Rub al-Jali
  • Few explorers have managed to cross the Rub al-Khali due to its extreme conditions.

Examples

  • The Rub al-Khali covers parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen.

  • The Rub al-Khali is known for its towering dunes and harsh climate.

  • The Rub al-Khali is known for its stunning sand dunes.

  • Many tourists visit the Rub al-Khali every year.

  • Few explorers have managed to cross the Rub al-Khali due to its extreme conditions.

  • The Rub al-Khali covers parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen.

  • The Rub al-Khali is known for its towering dunes and harsh climate.

Surface Forms

Rub al-Khali main

Morphology

Rub + al-Khali

This is a toponym borrowed from Arabic (Rub al-Khali) whose constituent strings are not recognisable English words to a B1 learner, so the desert meaning cannot be derived from the parts. Only speakers with Arabic knowledge (e.g. recognising al- as the definite article and khali as ‘empty’) could transparently infer the meaning; that is not assumed for average learners.

Etymology

Rub al-Khali is a name from Arabic. The word Rub means 'quarter' and al-Khali means 'the empty', so the name literally says 'the Empty Quarter' and explains why it refers to the vast, very empty sand desert today.