English Reference
Noun

grassland

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US /ˈɡɹæsˌɫænd/ UK /ɡɹˈɑːslənd/ grass·land UK spelling grasslands Geography

n.a large area of open land where the main plants are grasses rather than trees or bushes.

n.an extensive area of land dominated by grasses and other non-woody plants, typically found in regions with insufficient rainfall to support forest growth.


SIMPLE

Wild horses run across the open grassland.

CONTEXTUAL

The vast African grassland provides a rich habitat for many different species of large mammals.

COMPLEX

Conservationists are working to restore the native grassland, which has been significantly reduced by decades of intensive agricultural expansion and urban development.

Usage

Often used in the plural ('grasslands') when referring to specific ecological regions or global biomes.


From grass + land. Compare Dutch grasland (“grassland”), Faroese graslendi (“grassland”), Icelandic graslendi (“grassland”). Compare also Old English græsmolde (“grassland”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated