noun Uncommon

TARDIS

TAH-dihs

TARDIS (noun) means the time-and-space-traveling ship used by the Doctor in the British TV series Doctor Who, famous for looking like a small police box outside but being enormous inside. Example: “The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS into what looked like Victorian London.”

noun

The time-and-space-traveling ship used by the Doctor in the British TV series Doctor Who, famous for looking like a small police box outside but being enormous inside.

"The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS into what looked like Victorian London."

"New viewers are always confused the first time they see how big the TARDIS is inside."

Something whose inside seems far bigger, fuller, or more surprising than its outside would suggest.

"That tiny flat is a total tardis — it somehow fits three bedrooms."

"Her handbag is a tardis; she pulled out an umbrella, a book, and a sandwich."

How to use TARDIS

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA nod to Doctor Who's time machine, used generally for anything bigger or more surprising inside than it looks from outside.

Memory tip

You'll mostly hear this as a joky comparison ("it's like a tardis in here"), not as a serious noun in formal writing.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

like a tardis bigger on the inside

Word forms

TARDISes plural, Tardises plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The Doctor stepped out of the _____ into what looked like Victorian London.

Etymology

Invented in 1963 for the BBC show Doctor Who, as an acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space."

· First attested 1963

Class of 1963 TARDIS joined the language around 1963.

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Frequently asked questions

What does “TARDIS” mean?

The word “TARDIS” means the time-and-space-traveling ship used by the Doctor in the British TV series Doctor Who, famous for looking like a small police box outside but being enormous inside. In plain terms, a nod to Doctor Who's time machine, used generally for anything bigger or more surprising inside than it looks from outside.

How do you pronounce “TARDIS”?

“TARDIS” is pronounced TAH-dihs (/ˈtɑɹdɪs/ in IPA).

How do you use “TARDIS” in a sentence?

Here is “TARDIS” used in a sentence: “The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS into what looked like Victorian London.”

What part of speech is “TARDIS”?

“TARDIS” is a noun.

Where does the word “TARDIS” come from?

The word “TARDIS” dates back to around 1963. Invented in 1963 for the BBC show Doctor Who, as an acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space.".

Is “TARDIS” a common word?

“TARDIS” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “TARDIS” have?

“TARDIS” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the time-and-space-traveling ship used by the Doctor in the British TV series Doctor Who, famous for looking like a small police box outside but being enormous inside.