chaparral

noun

chap·​ar·​ral ˌsha-pə-ˈral How to pronounce chaparral (audio)
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
broadly : a dense impenetrable thicket of shrubs or dwarf trees
2
: an ecological community composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters that occurs especially in southern California

Examples of chaparral in a Sentence

the rabbit darted into the chaparral
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Voters Side With Trump Over Musk Add visiting the Morro Bay State Park to hike through salt marshes and coastal trails or walking along the boardwalk through pygmy oaks and chaparral in Elfin Forest to the itinerary. Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 The next time fire rips through the chaparral in surrounding hills (a question of when, not if) this cluster of homes is being built to keep the flames at the subdivision’s edge. Calmatters, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025 Much of that region is covered by chaparral and grassland, which can be very flammable. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025 La Jolla Walk-In Campsite The La Jolla Walk-In Campsite is a small campground in dense chaparral in Point Mugu State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chaparral

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from chaparro dwarf evergreen oak, from Basque txapar

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaparral was in 1825

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chaparral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaparral. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

chaparral

noun
chap·​ar·​ral ˌshap-ə-ˈral How to pronounce chaparral (audio)
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
also : a dense thicket
2
: an ecological community that is found especially in parts of southern California and is composed of shrubby plants that grow well in dry sunny summers and moist winters

More from Merriam-Webster on chaparral

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