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

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

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

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 species depends on just one plant, Devil's-bit Scabious, which grows across a range of grassland and heathland sites, most often grazed by cattle.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025

However, Plantlife said violet coral was usually found in "unimproved grassland", with pink waxcap more often seen in western Britain, particularly in Wales on sheep-grazed acid grassland.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

The steppes, the flat grassland of southeastern Europe, crawled with rats and mice.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• pasture
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• steppe