meadow

noun

mead·​ow ˈme-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce meadow (audio)
often attributive
: land that is covered or mostly covered with grass
wildflowers blooming in the meadow
especially : a tract of moist low-lying usually level grassland
meadowy adjective

Examples of meadow in a Sentence

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 the real magic lies in the journey between the huts - stillness in alpine meadows, foraging in the wild, swims in glacier-fed lakes, and candlelit bonfire dinners with fellow hikers. Lea Lane, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Plan to spend a full five days exploring the rock formations, wildflower meadows, art installations, and architectural hot spots of this region. Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 17 July 2025 At the heart of the debate is the town’s remaining open space—patches of woodlands, meadows, and wetlands that serve as both ecological sanctuaries and buffers against overdevelopment. John Emmanuel, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025 Out in the wild, the queen-of-the-prairie grows in moist black soil prairies and meadows, fens, seeps and springs. Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for meadow

Word History

Etymology

Middle English medwe, medowe "grassland kept for hay, pasture field," going back to Old English mǣdwe, oblique singular case form of mǣd, going back to West Germanic *mēdwō- (whence also Old Frisian mēde "pasture, meadow," Middle Dutch māde, mēde), noun derivative from the verbal base *mē- "reap, mow" — more at mow entry 2

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meadow was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meadow. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

meadow

noun
mead·​ow ˈmed-ō How to pronounce meadow (audio)
: an area of moist low usually level grassland

More from Merriam-Webster on meadow

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