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

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

Caseificio di Nucci, Agnone – For caciocavallo and provolone made just steps from the pastures. —Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Frost is, by reputation, perhaps the foremost poet of rural, non-coastal New England — of birches and apple trees, of forests blanketed in snow, of pastures sliced by ragged stone walls, and of the flinty, self-sufficient kind of temperament that flourishes in those places. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025

Verb

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

Hence their motivation to send Powell out to pasture—save billions in interest payments and take control of the bond market. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 24 July 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