# Plains

/ˈpɫeɪnz/ (US) · /plˈeɪnz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plains
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. flat land

noun · CEFR B1

large areas of flat land that usually have grass but very few trees.

For teachers: extensive areas of level or nearly level land, typically characterized by grassland and a lack of significant forestation.

- The train traveled across the vast plains for hours without passing a single hill.
- The nomadic tribes followed the seasonal migration of the herds across the grassy plains, relying on the open landscape for visibility.

Usage: Usually used in the plural form when referring to the landscape in general.

### 2. The Great Plains

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a specific large, flat region in the middle of North America.

For teachers: A proper noun referring to the broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland, located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains.

- Many families moved to the Plains in the 1800s to start their own farms.
- Agriculture on the Great Plains was transformed by the introduction of deep-plowing techniques, though this later contributed to the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl.

Usage: Always capitalized and usually preceded by 'the' when referring to this specific region.

Teaching tip: While 'plains' is a general term, in an American context, 'the Plains' almost always refers to this specific central region.

## Examples

- The vast plains are perfect for growing wheat.
- The train traveled for hours across the grassy plains before reaching the mountains.
- Early settlers were often overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the central plains, where the horizon seemed to stretch infinitely in every direction without a single landmark.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.