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tallgrass

tallgrass

1 4.8
Grass that grows very tall in moist prairies
  • noun
  • /ˈtɔlˌɡræs/
translation icon : hierba alta
  • When the tallgrass canopy is grazed off, sunlight reaches the earth and the shorter plants do better.
  • tallgrass prairie

Examples

  • The Plains lie between the Rockies and the tallgrass prairies of the Midwest and the South.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Land-use conversion and fire suppression have been so complete that Midwestern tallgrass prairies and oak savannas are now some of the rarest ecosystems in the world.

    Academic text (2008)
  • I speed up when I rise into tallgrass, some of it half a foot taller than I can reach.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Because he was in a portion of the country dominated by tallgrass prairie.

    Blog text (17)
  • In North America's northern tallgrass ecoregion, less than 2.5% of native prairie remains.

    Blog text (28)
  • We don't yet understand all the reasons some prairie butterflies are disappearing across the tallgrass prairie.

    Blog text (13)
  • In the Great Plains, for instance, virtually all (99.9 percent) of the native tallgrass prairie and 30 percent of the shortgrass prairie have been converted to intensive crop production.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Before European settlement, vast areas of the eastern deciduous biome were dominated by fire-adapted ecosystems, most notably tallgrass prairies and oak-pine savannas, woodlands, and forests.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The tallgrass in the meadow swayed gently in the breeze, creating a calming sound.

  • Many insects thrive in the tallgrass, finding shelter and food among the blades.

Synonyms

tall-grass
vstallgrass
6 3.9

Grass that grows tall in wet, rich places

is the unhyphenated general name for those moist, tall grasses
sawgrass
vstallgrass
  • US
1 5.8

A tall grass with sharp leaves that grows in wet places like marshes

covers tall moisture-loving grasses not limited to marsh habitats
prairie cordgrass
vstallgrass
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall coarse grass that grows in prairies and wetlands and shelters birds and small animals

applies broadly to tall grasses that prefer moist fertile areas
giant ryegrass
vstallgrass
  • US
7.7

A large tall grass that grows for many years and helps hold soil

refers generally to many tall species rather than one specific plant
gamagrass
vstallgrass
  • US
8.8

A tall grass that grows back each year and is used to restore soil and feed animals

denotes tall grasses in moist areas without the specific use
means grass
vstallgrass
  • Specialized
8.9

A tall grass that spreads by creeping roots and feeds animals but can be a farm pest

means tall grasses that flourish in moist areas without invasiveness focus
broom grass
vstallgrass
  • US
7.7

A tall grass used to make brooms

is the broad category of tall grasses regardless of practical uses
tall meadow grass
vstallgrass
6.1

A tall rough grass that grows in meadows and roadsides and is used for hay

is the general term covering many tall grasses in fertile wet areas
tall oat grass
vstallgrass
7.1

A tall rough grass from Europe and Asia that looks like oats and grows by roads and fields

is a wider name for moist-area tall grasses not tied to origin
wool grass
vstallgrass
8.4

A tall garden grass with large soft white plumes

is the simple category for tall grasses regardless of ornamental use
Ravenna grass
vstallgrass
9.1

A tall grass with long leaves and large feathery plumes like pampas grass

is the broad name for tall grasses rather than an ornamental species

Antonyms

1 7.0

Grass that stays short and grows on dry plains

How Tall

tallgrass
1 4.8
short-grass
  • US
1 6.9

Surface Forms

tallgrass singular
tallgrasses plural

Morphology

tallgrass = tall + grass (transparent) = tall + grass

The meaning is directly the combination of 'tall' and 'grass' (a grass that is tall), which is easily inferred by learners.

Etymology

The word tallgrass comes from joining tall ('high') and grass ('grass'). That's why it means kinds of grass that grow very tall in prairies and wet fields.