meadow

American  

[med-oh] / ˈmɛd oʊ /

noun

1. a tract of grassland used for pasture or serving as a hayfield.

   Synonyms:

   field, range, green

2. a tract of grassland in an upland area near the timberline.

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meadow British  

/ ˈmɛdəʊ /

noun

1. an area of grassland, often used for hay or for grazing of animals

2. a low-lying piece of grassland, often boggy and near a river

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Other Word Forms

• meadowless adjective
• meadowy adjective

Etymology

Origin of meadow

before 1000; Middle English medwe, Old English mǣdw-, oblique stem of mǣd mead ²; akin to German Matte

Example Sentences

He spoke after he and other snowshoe-clad officials measured snow in a meadow at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe, where they hold snow surveys between December and April.

From Los Angeles Times

In the morning, they passed meadows spotted with purple and red flowers; he saw a group of human-sized creatures, their skin mottled like bark, dancing to a song he could not hear.

From Literature

The grounds extend into endless meadows dotted with more huts and construction.

From Literature

In one post from last spring, an X user tagged an image of a lush meadow on a sunny day with, “How the worst day in 2016 used to look like.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Our group walks out into the field, and we spread our blankets on the meadows where the sheep and goats graze during the day.

From Literature

Related Words

• grassland
• pasture
• plain
• prairie