pasture

1 of 2

noun

pas·​ture ˈpas-chər 

1

: plants (such as grass) grown for the feeding especially of grazing animals

2

: land or a plot of land used for grazing

3

: the feeding of livestock : grazing

pasture

2 of 2

verb

pastured; pasturing

intransitive verb

: graze, browse

transitive verb

1

: to feed (animals, such as cattle) on pasture

2

: to use as pasture

Synonyms of pasture

Noun

• ranch
• yard
• pasturage
• prairie

Verb

• graze

Examples of pasture in a Sentence

Noun

The horses were grazing in the pasture.

Most of their land is pasture.

Verb

The horses are pastured on several acres of land.

pasturing sheep on town lands was actually a cheaper alternative to mowing

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The wolves arrived in May of last year, just days after Paul Roen had driven his cattle back up to their summer pasture in Northern California’s Sierra Valley. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026

In a cult classic 1976 film, The Bill Koch Experience, the star slaloms at perilous speed through low brush, dodges cows in a pasture, and also leaps off a boulder, only to tumble. —Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026

Verb

In Wisconsin, dairy farms are smaller, herds are smaller, and cows are usually sent out to pasture to graze in good weather, which is not easy to come by in Wisconsin. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026

Another is to acquaint yourself with the courage and good-heartedness of those who are making it now, and who will one day lead us out to pasture. —Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pastura, from Latin pastus, past participle of pascere to feed — more at food

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing pasture

• put out to pasture

Rhymes for pasture

• goodpasture

Kids Definition

pasture

1 of 2 noun

pas·​ture ˈpas-chər 

1

: plants (as grass) for feeding especially grazing animals

2

: land or a plot of land used for grazing

pasture

2 of 2 verb

pastured; pasturing

1

: graze entry 1 sense 1

2

: to feed (as cattle) on pasture