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
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.
But there’s plenty of drama also in the everyday lives of flowers, their interactions with crafty insects and hungry birds, with neighbors in the meadow or the forest, with fungal networks in the ground.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Other impressive features on the grounds include a saltwater pool; vegetable gardens; a wildflower meadow; an orchard of cherry, apple, and peach trees; and a sports court—ideal for Paul’s training.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
Others include a meadow and river site in the area that inspired The Wind In The Willows and a spot in Yorkshire where the River Swale flows in waterfalls over limestone steps.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
Through all my youthful explorations of the Kern River Canyon — my Yosemite without crowds — that golden-green meadow with its pools had been only an illusion for me.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2025
Now they were in the big meadow, right by the baseball diamond.
From "The Missing Mitt (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #2)" by Franklin W. Dixon
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.
