What does "tundra" mean?
A flat and treeless Arctic biome.
Tundra
/ˈtʌndɹə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A flat and treeless Arctic biome.
- Grammar: tundra is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: alaska, alkali flat, alluvial plain, antarctic zone.
- Useful contrasts: boreal forest, tropical rainforest, catskills.
- Usage evidence: The tundra has a harsh climate.
How to use "tundra"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tundra" 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 "tundra" 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 "tundra" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tundra" 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 "tundra" is acting as name, noun 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 "alaska" 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 "tundra", 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 flat and treeless Arctic biome. countable, uncountable
"The hut's walls rose without difficulty, and everything went smoothly until the problem of the roof confronted me. Of what use the four walls without a roof? And of what could a roof be made? There were the spare oars, very true. They would serve as roof-beams; but with what was I to cover them? Moss would never do. Tundra grass was impracticable. We needed the sail for the boat, and the tarpaulin had begun to leak."
- 2 a vast treeless plain in the Arctic regions where the subsoil is permanently frozen wordnet
- 3 A long stretch of something, such as time. countable, uncountable
"His wife and he were childhood sweethearts; he had known her for 25 years. (He will call her “my wife” throughout, just as he cannot bear to name his two sons, however carefully and lovingly he will eventually describe them. They remain “the older one” and “the younger one.”) There are tundras of time for him to cross and cross again as he recalls their life together and its sudden end: a quarter‐century of quotidian love and bruises and the ultimate estrangement of long familiarity."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Romanian.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The tundra has a harsh climate."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tundra"?
Common synonyms include: alaska, alkali flat, alluvial plain, antarctic zone, antarctica, arctic circle.
How do you use "tundra" in a sentence?
The tundra has a harsh climate.
How do you pronounce "tundra"?
Pronounced /ˈtʌndɹə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Russian ту́ндра (túndra), from Kildin Sami тӯндрэ (tūndre), the accusative and genitive form of тӯндар (tūndar).