steppe

noun \ ˈstep \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Examples: steppe in a Sentence

Definition of steppe

1 : one of the vast usually level and treeless tracts in southeastern Europe or Asia

2 : arid land with xerophilous vegetation found usually in regions of extreme temperature range and loess soil

See steppe defined for English-language learners

See steppe defined for kids

Examples of steppe in a Sentence

nomads have long grazed yaks on the steppes of Mongolia

Recent Examples of steppe from the Web

Viktoria Latishova, a 19-year-old waitress in Saransk on the edge of the steppe, rejoiced at meeting an American for the first time, spilling with curiosity despite her limited English.

— angela charlton, The Christian Science Monitor, "World Cup host Russia defies Soviet-era, hostile image with smiles," 20 June 2018
Briefly: Sweltering summer temperatures could be a problem for teams coming to the southern Russian steppe to play group or last-16 games in Rostov-on-Don.

— james ellingworth, BostonGlobe.com, "Here is a look at all 12 World Cup stadiums in Russia," 11 June 2018
In the east, thousands of blind storytellers once wandered the Kharkiv steppe doing the same.

— linda kinstler, Longreads, "Angrily Experiencing the Best Days of Our Lives," 27 June 2018
In addition to the steppes of Mongolia, destinations include the Australian Outback; the wild lands of Rwanda and Tanzania; the Buddhist sites of Tibet; and the salt flats, volcanoes and hot springs of Bolivia.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "Reindeer herders, eagle hunters: New Silversea tour brings rare encounters in Mongolia," 15 June 2018
Then later waves of Bronze Age migrants—in Europe’s case, herders from the Central Asian steppe—moved in and established the population structure scientists see today.

— lizzie wade, Science | AAAS, "How rice farming may have spread across the ancient world," 17 May 2018
The steppe around Tuvshruulekh is littered with animals that have frozen to death.

— max baring, The Christian Science Monitor, "Mongolian herders leave nomadic lifestyle for the city," 3 May 2018
Their curved snouts facilitate heat exchange and keep out dust common on Eurasian steppe, Yin writes—a specialized adaptation that may make saigas more vulnerable to changing climate and environmental conditions.

— mika mckinnon, Smithsonian, "Over 200,000 Endangered Antelope Suddenly Die Thanks to … Weird Weather?," 18 Jan. 2018
Overnight at Eolo Lodge in the steppes of Southern Patagonia, Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina.

— maita barrenechea, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to South America," 5 Oct. 2016

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

Origin and Etymology of steppe

Russian step'

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1671

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

steppe Synonyms

Synonyms

champaign, down(s), grassland, heath, lea (or ley), llano, moor, pampa, plain, prairie, savanna (also savannah), tundra, veld (or veldt);

Related Words

field, meadow;

floodplain;

bottom, bottomland, flat, lowland;

plateau, table, tableland, upland;

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

STEPPE Defined for English Language Learners

steppe

noun

Definition of steppe for English Language Learners

: a large, flat area of land with grass and very few trees especially in eastern Europe and Asia

STEPPE Defined for Kids

steppe

noun \ ˈstep \

Definition of steppe for Students

: land that is dry, rather level, mostly treeless, and covered with grass in regions (as parts of Asia and southeastern Europe) with usually hot summers and cold winters