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.

---

grassland British  

/ ˈɡrɑːsˌlænd /

noun

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

2. land reserved for natural grass pasture

---

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.

---

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 • Mar. 20, 2026

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

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

For example, Olduvai Gorge Bed in Tanzania has been described as freshwater woodland and grassland, while the Upper Bed reflects drier woodlands and marshy areas.

From Science Daily • Jan. 3, 2026

The fear is that, if this continues, vast areas of rainforest could die away and become a savannah or dry grassland ecosystem.

From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025

There were several lights attached to the roof of a large, square house, and they illuminated a grassland surrounded by a fence.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• pasture
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• steppe