rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryprairieOpen grassland
noun

prairie

PRAIR-ee/ˈpreri/

A large area of open grassland, especially in central North America.

The prairie stretches in broad grassy bands toward the horizon.

An expansive, mostly treeless prairie: natural grasses stretch across gently rolling ground to a distant low horizon, with foreground seed heads establishing the grassy terrain and broad uninterrupted bands conveying its width.
Etymology
prairieFrenchmeadow, grassland

French prairie meant “meadow” or “grassland.” English adopted it to describe the fertile but treeless American plains, giving the meadow word its association with broad, open landscapes.

In context

Terra Mater47:12
Over three centuries of European settlement, the prairie landscape has radically changed. Neatly ploughed farms and fenced-in cattle ranches now occupy most of the original wild grassland.
Who Rules the North American Prairie? | The Wild Heartlands | 4K Nature Documentary

More examples

  • Wildflowers dotted the prairie.
  • Several prairies survive as protected habitats.
  • Bison crossed the open prairie.

Forms

prairie · prairies

Similar words

grassland
Grassland is the broader ecological term.
steppe
Steppe usually suggests drier grassland, particularly in Eurasia.