grassland

noun

grass·​land ˈgras-ˌland 

1

: farmland occupied chiefly by forage plants and especially grasses

2

a

: land on which the natural dominant plant forms are grasses and forbs

b

: an ecological community in which the characteristic plants are grasses

Synonyms

• campo
• champaign
• down(s)
• heath
• lea
• ley
• llano
• moor
• pampa
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• savannah
• steppe
• tundra
• veld
• veldt

Example Sentences

stunning pictures of the giraffes and zebras roaming the grasslands of Africa

Recent Examples on the Web

Soaring views of the grasslands can be seen from the home. —Mitchell Parton, Dallas News, 28 May 2023

To develop good pheasant habitat, Roseland converted much of his ranch into wild grassland (that the cows are kept off of), left tree belts intact and marshes undrained, and planted crops like milo, which is one of the grains found in commercial birdseed. —Wes Siler, Outside Online, 1 Apr. 2021

The largest living land animal in Asia, Asian elephants once roamed the grasslands and rainforests that spanned the continent. —Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Apr. 2023

The railway passes through habitats from grassland to mangroves, and ecologists hope the rewilding will connect flora and fauna and promote greater species diversity. —Nick Roll, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2023

To curtail carbon dioxide emissions from wildfires, the plan calls for 1 million acres of forests, shrubland, grassland and other habitat to be treated with techniques such as prescribed burning by 2025. —Tony Briscoestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2022

Although these areas comprise only 0.5-1.0% of the overall landscape, a disproportionately large percentage of all desert, shrub and grassland plants and animals depend on them. —Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2022

But more grassland acres will benefit eastern meadowlarks, bobolinks and many other species that also require this habitat and are also in decline. —Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2022

Visitors of Cape Hatteras, an ever-changing landscape with beach, dune, grassland, shrub thicket, maritime forest and salt marsh habitats, should not dig holes, officials said. —Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 8 May 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Kids Definition

grassland

noun

grass·​land -ˌland 

: land covered with herbs (as grasses and clover) rather than shrubs and trees