name
Timbuktu
tihm-buhk-TOO
name
1
A historic city in Mali, once a major centre of trade and Islamic scholarship.
"Ancient manuscripts are still preserved in Timbuktu."
2
Used figuratively for any extremely remote or hard-to-reach place.
"He acted like the new office was out in Timbuktu."
How to Use Timbuktu
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA real city in Mali, famously used in English as a byword for "somewhere impossibly far away".
Common mistake
Many English speakers use it only as a joke for "nowhere" without realising it's a real, historically important city.
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Ancient manuscripts are still preserved in _____.