n.
Pronunciation: ' prer- ē
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: French, from Old French praierie, from Vulgar Latin *prataria, from Latin pratum meadow
Date: circa 1682
1 : land in or predominantly in grass
2 : a tract of grassland: as a : a large area of level or rolling land in the Mississippi River valley that in its natural uncultivated state usually has deep fertile soil, a cover of tall coarse grasses, and few trees b : one of the dry treeless plateaus east of the Rocky Mountains that merge on their east side with the prairies proper and are characterized by shorter grasses and drier less fertile soil