steppe

American  

[step] / stɛp /

noun

• steppes
  plural

1. an extensive plain, especially one without trees.

2. The Steppes,

   1. Also called Great Steppe, Eurasian Steppe. the vast grasslands stretching from Asia to Eastern Europe, bounded on the north by European and Asian Russia and Siberia.

   2. Kirghiz Steppe.

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steppe British  

/ stɛp /

noun

1. (often plural) an extensive grassy plain usually without trees Compare prairie pampas

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steppe Scientific  

/ stĕp /

1. A vast, semiarid grassland, as found in southeast Europe, Siberia, and central North America.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• steppes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of steppe

First recorded in 1665–75; from Russian step' or Ukrainian step; further origin uncertain

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Explanation

A steppe is a large geographic area of flat land. A prairie is a kind of steppe. This type of land can be found in both cold and warm environments — from Siberia to Mexico. A steppe, pronounced like the word step, is not quite dry enough to be a desert but not fertile enough for trees to grow. Think of it as a semi-desert covered in grass and shrubs. The word steppe can also be used to describe the climate in areas that are too dry for a forest, but not quite dry enough to be desert.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

steppe steppes

The burial site belonged to prominent members of the Scythians, a culture known for its skilled horseback riders who inhabited the vast Eurasian steppe.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

After a five-hour wait for petrol, Mongolian pensioner Nasanjargal is still 10 places from the pump, with dozens of cars behind him in a queue snaking into the arid steppe.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

A new wave of settlers – pastoralist-farmers hailing ultimately from the Russian steppe – began to infiltrate the Rhine area in the form of the Corded Ware culture.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

After watching thousands of antelope flow over the Tibetan steppe, Mr. Schaller wrote, “for a brief time I was free again.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

He watched as the scenery began to change, and the rolling steppe gave way to low grassy hills and then to higher land, with the occasional gorge or cataract; and still the boat steamed south.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Ulanqab, with its steppes and volcanoes, is an unlikely digital frontier.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

There were only arid steppes in sight when a small plane took off from an airport in southern Kazakhstan, embarking on a delicate mission: bringing rain for the scorched earth below.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

“The vibration from San Francisco goes up to the steppes of Kazakhstan,” said Sanzhar, who is staying at a hotel in the Nob Hill neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2025

In 568 C.E., according to contemporary records, warlike horse riders from the Mongolian steppes called the Avars surged into the grassy plains flanking the Danube River, in roughly the territory of modern Hungary.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 24, 2024

The transformation of warfare by horses began with their domestication around 4000 B.C., in the steppes north of the Black Sea.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• grassland
• prairie
• savanna

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