tundra

noun

tun·​dra ˈtən-drə 

 also  ˈtu̇n-

: a level or rolling treeless plain that is characteristic of arctic and subarctic regions, consists of black mucky soil with a permanently frozen subsoil, and has a dominant vegetation of mosses, lichens, herbs, and dwarf shrubs

also : a similar region confined to mountainous areas above timberline

Synonyms

• campo
• champaign
• down(s)
• grassland
• heath
• lea
• ley
• llano
• moor
• pampa
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• savannah
• steppe
• veld
• veldt

Examples of tundra in a Sentence

a report on the arctic tundra of Alaska and the polar bears that inhabit that vast, frozen plain

Recent Examples on the Web

There are desert badlands, frosty tundra, underwater temples, shipwrecks, lush caves teeming with life, and much more. —Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2025

Unlike tundras, the somewhat milder boreal forests are more often experiencing strong carbon uptake due to longer summers, offsetting the non-summer emissions. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025

In the meantime, Starlink’s internet service is now also in planes, in ships at sea, in deep jungles, tundras, and deserts. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 6 May 2025

The frozen tundras of Kamchatka, Baffin Island, Antarctica, and Siberia. —Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 2 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Russian, from Russian dialect (northeast) tundra, tundara, from Kildin Sami (Sami language of the northern Kola Peninsula) tūnter

First Known Use

circa 1841, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tundra

• tundra swan

Kids Definition

tundra

noun

tun·​dra ˈtən-drə 

 also  ˈtu̇n-

: a treeless plain especially of arctic regions having a permanently frozen layer below the surface soil and plant life made up mostly of mosses, lichens, herbs, and very small shrubs