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sagebrush

American  
[seyj-bruhsh] / ˈseɪdʒˌbrʌʃ /

noun

  1. any of several sagelike, bushy composite plants of the genus Artemisia, especially A. tridentata, having silvery, wedge-shaped leaves, with three teeth at the tip, common on the dry plains of the western U.S.


sagebrush British  
/ ˈseɪdʒˌbrʌʃ /

noun

  1. any of several aromatic plants of the genus Artemisia, esp A. tridentata, a shrub of W North America, having silver-green leaves and large clusters of small white flowers: family Asteraceae (composites)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sagebrush

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; sage 2 + brush 2

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:

In 2024, the Biden administration added the dunes sagebrush lizard to the endangered species list after years of advocacy from environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity.

From Salon Jul. 15, 2026

The West had a “foreboding beauty”; wheat fields and orchards gave way to “unforgiving” sagebrush and treeless hills.

From The Wall Street Journal May 21, 2026

Toyon brings red berries in winter and white flowers in spring, while California sagebrush and Cleveland sage fill the air with an intoxicating perfume.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 30, 2026

Initially they thought they would focus on native succulents and cactus for their yard until they began noticing white sage, buckwheats and sagebrush when they went running in the Laguna Hills and Santa Ana Mountains.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 26, 2025

The colorful racing world that had spun itself around Tijuana withered and blew off into the sagebrush deserts.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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