Definition of chaparral
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
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Examples of chaparral in a Sentence
the rabbit darted into the chaparral
Recent Examples of chaparral from the Web
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Chaparrals coach Kevin Tyrrell played him in 46 of 55 games.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chaparral'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of chaparral
Spanish, from chaparro dwarf evergreen oak, from Basque txapar
First Known Use: 1845
CHAPARRAL Defined for English Language Learners
chaparral
playDefinition of chaparral for English Language Learners
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: an area of dry land especially in southern California that is covered with bushes and short trees
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See words that rhyme with chaparral Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for chaparral Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chaparral
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