prairie

noun, often attributive

prai·rie | \ ˈprer-ē

Definition of prairie

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

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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

Tasked with revitalizing the historic brand, the Belgian designer found joy in reimagining Western fashion tropes, like the delicate piping of a men’s cowboy shirt or the fluttering hem of a gingham prairie skirt. — Monica Kim, Vogue, "Penultimate Is a New American Fashion Fantasy, Written By a Chinese Immigrant," 26 Mar. 2019 Caustic humor occasionally wells up from the parched prairie. — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, "In the old-school 'Buried Child,' Sam Shepard understood what still pains Illinois," 17 May 2018 They are found in a variety of habitats, from open prairies to wetlands. — Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Great Wisconsin Birdathon takes flight during Year of the Bird," 5 Apr. 2018 These prairies bring the prairie ecosystem into the city where students learn about science, history, culture, economics, and global environmental stewardship. — Staff Report, Houston Chronicle, "Snooze Pancake Day raises funds for Katy Prairie," 12 Mar. 2018 More like a post-apocalyptic prairie seen through a B-movie lens. — Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, "Calvin Klein’s Electrifying Popcorn Fashion Apocalypse," 14 Feb. 2018 Vogueworld Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant Reveals Her Flair for Fashion on Jimmy Fallon Ever since bursting onto the fashion scene in 2016, designer Batsheva Hay has ignited a craze for her kitschy-cool prairie dresses. — Vogue, "Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant Reveals Her Flair for Fashion on Jimmy Fallon," 20 Mar. 2019 Burning grass, smoking gun The prairie sometimes burns naturally, as lightning strikes can spark wildfires. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Native Americans managed the prairie for better bison hunts," 25 July 2018 There are times when these endless prairies feel downright claustrophobic. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Chloé Zhao's cowboy drama 'The Rider' is a moving, lyrical tale of loss and recovery," 10 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prairie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.