noun

taiga

TEYE-guh

Quiz me More like this

Taiga (noun) means the vast belt of coniferous forest that stretches across the northern hemisphere, lying between the tundra to the north and grassy steppe to the south. Example: “Much of Siberia is covered by dense taiga forest.”

noun

The vast belt of coniferous forest that stretches across the northern hemisphere, lying between the tundra to the north and grassy steppe to the south.

"Much of Siberia is covered by dense taiga forest."

"Wolves and moose roam the Canadian taiga."

How to use taiga

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe huge stretch of evergreen forest found across the far north of places like Russia and Canada.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with tundra — tundra is the treeless, frozen zone further north; taiga is the forested zone just south of it.

Easily confused with

tundra →

Common pairings

taiga forest the Siberian taiga boreal taiga

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like taiga.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: taigas

Test yourself on “taiga” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Much of Siberia is covered by dense _____ forest.

Etymology

From Russian тайга́ (tajgá), itself borrowed from a South Siberian Turkic or Yakut word for dense, hard-to-cross forest.

Origin: Russian

Rhymes for taiga

Iga Riga amiga

See all rhymes for taiga →

Frequently asked questions

What does “taiga” mean?

The word “taiga” means the vast belt of coniferous forest that stretches across the northern hemisphere, lying between the tundra to the north and grassy steppe to the south. In plain terms, the huge stretch of evergreen forest found across the far north of places like Russia and Canada.

How do you pronounce “taiga”?

“Taiga” is pronounced TEYE-guh (/ˈtaɪɡə/ in IPA).

How do you use “taiga” in a sentence?

Here is “taiga” used in a sentence: “Much of Siberia is covered by dense taiga forest.”

What part of speech is “taiga”?

“Taiga” is a noun.

Where does the word “taiga” come from?

The word “taiga” comes from Russian. From Russian тайга́ (tajgá), itself borrowed from a South Siberian Turkic or Yakut word for dense, hard-to-cross forest.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include taiga:

Words with slavic origins