meadow grass: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Botanical/Ecological.
Quick answer
What does “meadow grass” mean?
Grass species that grow in, or are characteristic of, meadows.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Grass species that grow in, or are characteristic of, meadows; grass used for grazing or hay.
A term often used to refer to common pasture grasses, but also used poetically or figuratively to evoke a pastoral, rural, or natural setting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally understood in both variants. The concept of a 'meadow' might be slightly more common in UK landscape descriptions, while 'pasture' or 'prairie grass' might be more frequent in specific US regional contexts.
Connotations
Both carry strong pastoral, idyllic, and natural connotations. In the UK, it may evoke managed lowland countryside. In the US, it can suggest wilder, open fields.
Frequency
Low-to-medium frequency in both, primarily in nature writing, ecology, and agricultural contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “meadow grass” in a Sentence
The [adjective] meadow grass[verb] the meadow grass[noun] of meadow grassVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “meadow grass” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not a standard verb. Derived: 'The field was meadowed with lush grass.']
American English
- [Not a standard verb. Derived: 'They meadow-grassed the area for erosion control.']
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable.]
American English
- [Not applicable.]
adjective
British English
- [Not standard. Use attributive noun: 'a meadow-grass verge', 'a meadow grass habitat'.]
American English
- [Not standard. Use attributive noun: 'the meadow-grass lawn', 'meadow grass coverage'.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
[Rarely used. Potentially in agriculture: 'We specialize in meadow grass seed mixes.']
Academic
Common in ecology/botany: 'The study monitored invertebrate populations in stands of unimproved meadow grass.'
Everyday
Descriptive: 'The children ran through the long meadow grass.'
Technical
Used in agriculture/horticulture to specify grass types for grazing, hay, or landscaping.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “meadow grass”
- Incorrect pluralization: 'meadows grass' (should be 'meadow grasses' for multiple species).
- Misspelling as 'medow grass'.
- Using it as a verb or adjective not derived from it.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's a general term for grasses growing in meadows. It can refer to many species, like Kentucky bluegrass or meadow fescue, depending on context.
Yes, but it's more descriptive and slightly literary. In casual talk, you might just say 'long grass in the field' or simply 'grass'.
Meadow grass is often taller, coarser, and part of a natural or wildflower meadow ecosystem. Lawn grass is specifically cultivated, regularly mown, and consists of fine turf species.
Yes, 'meadow grasses' is used when referring to multiple distinct species of grass found in meadows.
Grass species that grow in, or are characteristic of, meadows.
Meadow grass is usually formal, literary, botanical/ecological. in register.
Meadow grass: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmed.əʊ ɡrɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmed.oʊ ɡræs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specifically for 'meadow grass'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MEADOW (a field) plus the GRASS growing in it. Picture a peaceful, grassy field.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURAL SIMPLICITY / PEACEFUL ABUNDANCE (e.g., 'a mind like meadow grass' implying untamed, natural thought).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'meadow grass' MOST likely to be used technically?