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noun Uncommon

meadow

MEHD-oh
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Meadow (noun) means a grassy field, especially one grown or kept for grazing animals or for cutting as hay. Example: “The cows spent the afternoon grazing in the meadow.”

noun
1
A grassy field, especially one grown or kept for grazing animals or for cutting as hay.
"The cows spent the afternoon grazing in the meadow."
"Wildflowers covered the meadow in early summer."
2
Low-lying grassland near a river or coast, often damp or marshy.
"The path wound through a meadow that flooded every spring."
verb
1
To grow or manage land as grass for hay.
"The farmer meadowed the lower field instead of ploughing it."

How to use meadow

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn open grassy field, usually one used for grazing or hay rather than crops.

Memory tip

Think of a meadow as softer and wilder than a "lawn" or "field" — often full of wildflowers and used for animals or hay rather than farming.

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Common pairings
a flower meadow graze in the meadow meadow grass hay meadow
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Word forms

Plural
meadows
Third person singular
meadows
Past tense
meadowed
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The cows spent the afternoon grazing in the _____.

Etymology

From Old English mǣdwe, related to "mead" (as in the old word for a grassy field) and ultimately to an ancient root meaning "to mow or reap" — the same root behind the word "math" as in "aftermath" (literally a second mowing).

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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grassland pasture hayfield lea glade field

Related words

area study field industry range sector theatre plain

Rhymes for meadow

shadow
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Frequently asked questions

What does “meadow” mean?
The word “meadow” means a grassy field, especially one grown or kept for grazing animals or for cutting as hay. In plain terms, an open grassy field, usually one used for grazing or hay rather than crops.
How do you pronounce “meadow”?
“Meadow” is pronounced MEHD-oh (/ˈmɛd.əʊ̯/ in IPA).
How do you use “meadow” in a sentence?
Here is “meadow” used in a sentence: “The cows spent the afternoon grazing in the meadow.”
What part of speech is “meadow”?
Depending on how it is used, “meadow” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “meadow” come from?
The word “meadow” comes from Old English.
Is “meadow” a common word?
“Meadow” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “meadow” have?
“Meadow” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a grassy field, especially one grown or kept for grazing animals or for cutting as hay.
What is the difference between a meadow and a field?
A meadow is specifically a grassy area kept for grazing animals or cut for hay, while a field is a broader term that can refer to any enclosed piece of land, including one used for crops. All meadows are fields in the general sense, but not all fields are meadows.
What is the difference between a meadow and a pasture?
A meadow is often grown specifically to be cut for hay, while a pasture is land where animals graze directly on the growing grass. In practice the terms overlap, since a meadow near a river or coast is also often low-lying grassland used for grazing.
Can "meadow" be used as a verb?
Yes, meadow can function as a verb meaning to grow or manage land as grass for hay, though this use is far less common than the noun.

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