often attributive
1
: land in or predominantly in grass
2
: a tract of grassland: such as
a
: a large area of level or rolling land in the Mississippi River valley that in its natural uncultivated state usually has deep fertile soil, a cover of tall coarse grasses, and few trees
b
: one of the dry treeless plateaus east of the Rocky Mountains that merge on their east side with the prairies proper and are characterized by shorter grasses and drier less fertile soil
Examples of prairie in a Sentence
Millions of buffalo once roamed the prairies.
The train tracks extend over miles of prairie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Earthworms are essential for organic matter decomposition and soil health in gardens, forests, prairies and farmland.
—
Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The tribe plans projects to create healthier stream habitats for fish, and to restore meadows and prairies.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival August 22-23, 2025 Watch the stars swim above a sea of multi-hued rock and prairie grasses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park with the annual Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 30 May 2025
Sea of Grass is a natural expansion of her reporting on the vanishing prairie and the consequences of intensive agriculture.
—Dave Hage, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prairie
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.
Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The tribe plans projects to create healthier stream habitats for fish, and to restore meadows and prairies.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival August 22-23, 2025 Watch the stars swim above a sea of multi-hued rock and prairie grasses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park with the annual Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 30 May 2025
Sea of Grass is a natural expansion of her reporting on the vanishing prairie and the consequences of intensive agriculture.
—Dave Hage, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prairie
Cite this Entry
“Prairie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prairie
noun
prai·rie
ˈpre(ə)r-ē 
: a large area of level or rolling grassland
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share