grassland

American  

[gras-land, grahs-] / ˈgræsˌlænd, ˈgrɑs- /

noun

1. an area, as a prairie, in which the natural vegetation consists largely of perennial grasses, characteristic of subhumid and semiarid climates.

2. land with grass growing on it, especially farmland used for grazing or pasture.

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grassland British  

/ ˈɡrɑːsˌlænd /

noun

1. land, such as a prairie, on which grass predominates

2. land reserved for natural grass pasture

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grassland Scientific  

/ grăs′lănd′ /

1. An area that is dominated by grass or grasslike vegetation. Moderately dry climatic conditions and seasonal disturbances, such as floods or fires, are generally conducive to the growth of grasses and prohibitive of that of trees and shrubs. Grasslands are found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions and typically occupy regions between forests and deserts.

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Etymology

Origin of grassland

An Americanism dating back to 1675–85; grass + land

Example Sentences

If she can prove that cheetahs are worth saving, she thinks, she can help the cheetahs who are living in “the parched grassland she can only imagine. The place that would’ve been her home, too.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The red fox's remarkable adaptability allows them to thrive in environments ranging from forests and grasslands to urban areas, the zoo said, feeding off everything from fruits to rodents.

From BBC

Fly-tipping was also a problem, she explained, with vans pulling up and "furtively unloading" rubbish on to nearby grassland.

From BBC

It says it will use the new land to create a mosaic of habitats and connect wildlife with new ponds, grasslands, hedges, trees and wetlands.

From BBC

Dr Mo Verhoeven, lead conservation scientist at the RSPB, said Cumbria was chosen because fungi which supported trees had transitioned to fungi found in grasslands that "have been grazed for hundreds of years".

From BBC

Related Words

• pasture
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• steppe