Turkestan Desert
- noun
:
desierto de Turquestán
- The Turkestan Desert is characterized by its vast stretches of sand and sparse vegetation.
Examples
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The Turkestan Desert is one of the largest deserts in Central Asia.
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Many migratory birds rest in oases scattered throughout the Turkestan Desert.
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Environmental changes have further increased the aridity of the Turkestan Desert in recent decades.
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Have you ever visited the Turkestan Desert?
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The Turkestan Desert is characterized by its vast stretches of sand and sparse vegetation.
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Many migratory birds rest in oases scattered throughout the Turkestan Desert.
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Environmental changes have further increased the aridity of the Turkestan Desert in recent decades.
Synonyms
A desert in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea with dry sand and few plants
A large desert in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea
A large dry area of sand in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward place-name + noun composition: 'Turkestan' (a region) + 'desert' (an arid area), so a learner who knows both constituents will naturally understand it refers to the desert in the Turkestan region. The pattern place-name + landscape noun is cross-linguistically common and follows regular English noun-noun composition, making the meaning immediately derivable.
Etymology
Turkestan Desert gets its name from the words Turkestan, which means 'land of the Turks', and desert, meaning a dry place. That's why it refers to a wide, dry area in Turkmenistan south of the Aral Sea.
