boreal

adjective

bo·​re·​al ˈbȯr-ē-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or located in northern regions

boreal waters

2

: of, relating to, or comprising the northern biotic area characterized especially by dominance of coniferous forests

Examples of boreal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The next leg is along the Dempster Highway, an epic journey through boreal forest and tundra that crosses the Arctic Circle. —Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Their muse is the taiga, or boreal forest: a massive ring of mostly coniferous trees that stretches across the Northern Hemisphere. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025

Tours may also include snowshoeing, dog sledding, and fat-tire biking through the boreal forest. —Jamie Davis Smith, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English boriall, from Late Latin borealis, from Latin boreas north wind, north, from Greek, from Boreas

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boreal

• ambassadorial
• combinatorial
• conspiratorial
• gladiatorial
• gubernatorial
• inquisitorial
• mediatorial
• multifactorial
• prosecutorial
• supratentorial
• arboreal
• armorial

Kids Definition

boreal

adjective

bo·​re·​al ˈbō(ə)r-ē-əl 

ˈbȯ(ə)r-

: of, relating to, or located or growing in northern or mountainous regions