[sahy-beer-ee-uh] 
| 1. | Russian, Sibirʾ. an extensive region in the Russian Federation in N Asia, extending from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific. |
| 2. | any undesirable or isolated locale, job, etc., to which one is assigned as punishment, a mark of disfavor, or the like. |
| Si·be·ri·a 1 (sī-bîr'ē-ə) A region of central and eastern Russia stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Inhabited by a variety of peoples including the Ostyak, Chukchi, Evenki, and Yakut, the extensive area was annexed by Russia in stages during the 16th and 17th centuries. Used as a place of exile for political prisoners since the early 17th century, it was settled by Russians after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad (completed in 1905) and developed for its mineral resources after World War II. Si·be'ri·an adj. & n. |
| Si·be·ri·a 2 (sī-bîr'ē-ə) n. A remote undesirable locale: "exiled to the Registry of Motor Vehicles—the Siberia of state government" (Howie Carr). |
Region of Russia stretching from north-central to northeastern Asia.
Note: Known for its vast space, long and severely cold winters, and few inhabitants widely scattered in small settlements, Siberia has been for many centuries a place of political and criminal exile for Russians who anger the government's authorities.
Note: As a consequence of Siberia's harsh conditions and its historical function as a place of punishment, to be “sent to Siberia” has become a metaphor for demotion, disgrace, or other forms of status diminution.
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