Word
prairie
US/ˈpɹɛɹi/
UK/pɹˈeəɹi/
Definitions
01grassland
n. a very large, flat area of land covered in grass with almost no trees.
n. an extensive area of relatively flat grassland with few or no trees, particularly the temperate ecosystems of central North America.
“The pioneers traveled for weeks across the flat prairie before they saw any mountains.”
“Conservationists are working to restore the native tallgrass prairie, which once supported a vast and diverse ecosystem of bison and wildflowers.”
Usage
often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the specific region in North America.
02the Canadian Prairies
n. the large farming region in central Canada.
n. a specific geographic and political region in central Canada comprising the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
“Many families moved to the Prairies to start large wheat farms.”
“Economic shifts in the Prairies have led to significant urbanization as younger generations move away from traditional agricultural lifestyles.”
Formal
Usage
usually capitalized and pluralized as 'the Prairies'.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from French prairie.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
prairie dog — To pop up from a hole or similar in a manner that resembles the way a prairie dog pops his head up from his burrow.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/prairie