tarim
tarim Lexical Profile
• noun
A vast, endorheic basin located in northwestern China's Xinjiang region, bordered by towering mountain ranges (such as the Tian Shan and Kunlun) and largely encompassing the arid Taklamakan Desert.
"Archaeologists have discovered extraordinarily well-preserved ancient mummies in the arid climate of the Tarim Basin."
A major endorheic river in northwestern China, acting as the principal waterway of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region before terminating in the sands of the Taklamakan Desert.
Word Nuance & Usage
Almost exclusively used as a proper noun attributively in geographical contexts, most notably 'Tarim Basin' and 'Tarim River'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Uyghur word 'tarim', traditionally used to describe a river that flows into a lake or dissipates into the desert sands, as well as the arable land along its banks.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.