grassland

American  

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

noun

• grasslands
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• grasslands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grassland

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

Explanation

A grassland is an ecosystem that's thickly covered in short plants. Grasslands are notable for being lush and green. An area of land that mostly grows grass is a grassland — although there are other plants typically mixed in among the grasses, like clover, flowers, and woody plants. In the U.S., tallgrass prairies once covered huge portions of the midwestern states and were an example of one type of grassland. Today, these ecosystems can still be found around the world in regions that receive significant rainfall.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grassland grasslands

The results call into question the common assumption that restoring species-rich grassland necessarily requires commercial seed mixes or other expensive measures.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

Using money from Natural England and the Crown Estate, the Royal Entomological Society is working with other groups to update conservation guidance for grassland sites in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire to study our changing climate.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

The iconic tule elk, some of which were fenced in on the northern part of the peninsula to keep them from competing for grassland with cows, were dying off.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

One firefighter was hospitalised and five others suffered minor injuries, the fire service confirmed, with crews continuing to extinguish "hotspots" in open grassland, along a railway and in gardens.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

He curled spikily around her neck and they towed the wagon across the grassland, up to the tangled vines and ferns of the rain forest.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

Growth on permanent grasslands as of August 10 is a third less than the 1989-2018 average, according to the Agriculture Ministry's statistical service.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

The urban-wildland interface — where human development intermingles with wild places such as scrublands, grasslands and forests — is the fastest-growing land-use type in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

The current 630-strong herd of wild red and fallow deer in Richmond Park were first introduced by Charles I in 1637 and roam freely amongst the trees and grasslands.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

And in its forests and on its grasslands, tule elk and mule deer graze, while bobcats and coyotes hunt for rabbits and mountain beavers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

She turned back the way she’d come, to where Dragonstone rose above the grasslands like a clenched fist.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• pasture
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• steppe