What does "klondike" mean?
A source of wealth or something else valuable.
Klondike
/ˈklɒnˌdaɪk/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A source of wealth or something else valuable.
- Grammar: klondike is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: frozen dessert, gold rush, ice cream bar, migration event.
- Usage evidence: That reality is spreading. Once-sizzling housing markets in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states are cooling rapidly, as nervous Western Europeans stop buying investment properties in Warsaw, Tallinn, Estonia and other real estate Klondikes.
How to use "klondike"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "klondike" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "klondike" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "klondike" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "klondike" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "klondike" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "frozen dessert" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "klondike", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A source of wealth or something else valuable. figuratively
"That reality is spreading. Once-sizzling housing markets in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states are cooling rapidly, as nervous Western Europeans stop buying investment properties in Warsaw, Tallinn, Estonia and other real estate Klondikes."
- 2 Alternative form of Klondike (“source of wealth”). alt-of, alternative
"The most exclusive luxury brands are seeking their share of the klondike."
- 3 a form of solitaire that begins with seven piles of cards with the top cards facing up; descending sequences of cards of alternating colors are built on these piles; as aces become available they are placed above the seven piles; the object is to build sequences in suit from ace to king as the remaining cards are dealt out one at a time wordnet
Verb
- 1 To export fresh fish (usually herring or mackerel) rather than pickled ones.
Proper Noun
- 1 A river in Yukon, Canada.
- 2 A region of Yukon, Canada, surrounding the river, in and around Dawson City, replete with goldfields.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in DeKalb County, Georgia.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Hall County, Georgia.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Alexander County, Illinois.
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; A neighbourhood in eastern Louisville, Kentucky.
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community and census-designated place in Allegany County, Maryland.
- 9 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in St. Charles County, Missouri.
- 10 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Sherman County, Oregon.
- 11 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in McKean County, Pennsylvania.
- 12 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Dawson County, Texas.
- 13 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Delta County, Texas.
- 14 A number of places in the United States:; Former name of Trotti, Texas.
- 15 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Monongalia County, West Virginia.
- 16 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Brighton, Kenosha County, Wisconsin.
- 17 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Brazeau, Oconto County, Wisconsin.
- 18 A particular solitaire card game, requiring ordering randomly ordered cards according to rank.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"That reality is spreading. Once-sizzling housing markets in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states are cooling rapidly, as nervous Western Europeans stop buying investment properties in Warsaw, Tallinn, Estonia and other real estate Klondikes."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "klondike"?
Common synonyms include: frozen dessert, gold rush, ice cream bar, migration event, region, territory.
How do you use "klondike" in a sentence?
That reality is spreading. Once-sizzling housing markets in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states are cooling rapidly, as nervous Western Europeans stop buying investment properties in Warsaw, Tallinn, Estonia and other real estate Klondikes.
How do you pronounce "klondike"?
Pronounced /ˈklɒnˌdaɪk/.
Etymology
From Klondike, a region in the Yukon territory of Canada that saw a gold rush, named after the Klondike River. A corruption of Hän Tr'ondëk (“hammerstone water”) or Gwich'in throndiuk (“hammer-water”).