noun
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an area of grassland, often used for hay or for grazing of animals
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a low-lying piece of grassland, often boggy and near a river
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of meadow
before 1000; Middle English medwe, Old English mǣdw-, oblique stem of mǣd mead 2; akin to German Matte
Explanation
The noun meadow is another word for a hayfield, but offers a much more picturesque view as an open field of lush grass filled with butterflies and birds, with room to run. It can also refer to a piece of land found along a river. The word meadow refers to any grassland or hayfield, often just an expansive area that should be mowed. Indeed, the word comes from the Old English word mæd from the Germanic mædwon the base of which means “mow.” Still, the bucolic feeling is retained, as Dale Carnegie put it: “Let us not get so busy or live so fast that we can't listen to the music of the meadow or the symphony that glorifies the forest."
Vocabulary lists containing meadow
Beowulf vocabulary
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"The Wife of Bath's Tale," Vocabulary from the narrative poem
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List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Trail parking lots there sit next to a boulder-strewn meadow where marmot mothers nurse their young in burrows, making nearby cars irresistible targets, said park spokeswoman Holly Streit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
By grazing on red algae, that can prevent sunlight reaching the meadow, sea hares play a role in restoring eelgrass, which is vital to coastal ecosystems and an important carbon sink.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
As the meadow developed, thousands of orchids became established naturally.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
The ceremony took place behind an enclosure in a meadow where concertgoers streamed by, sandwiched between a space for “Freak Nature Puppets” and a pastry booth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Soon we reach the end of the meadow.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
"Oil contamination in the Hallaniyat Islands threatens coral reefs, seagrass meadows and coastal habitats that support endangered sea turtles, migratory seabirds and marine mammals," Noelle said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
This hike through Yosemite National Park features meadows, wildflowers and epic views.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The 400-year-old water meadows at Turnastone Court in Herefordshire are believed to be the oldest such pastureland in England.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Looe Harbour Commissioners and the Ocean Conservation Trust have joined forces to protect one of the largest seagrass meadows in the South West.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Instead of turning for home when we leave the graveyard, Boomer and I walk to the meadows, duck underneath the barbed wire strand, and slip into the Spinney.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
