ground cover

noun

1

: the small plants on a forest floor except young trees

2

a

: a planting of low plants (such as ivy) that covers the ground in place of turf

b

: a plant adapted for use as ground cover

Examples of ground cover in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Use as ground cover or as a bedding or potting plant. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 May 2024

In addition, with rising housing costs, these households are moving to less sparsely populated areas along the urban-rural interface, which often has more trees and ground cover serving as fuel for fires. —Nives Dolsak and Aseem Prakash, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

Sure, the deciduous forests change in September, but most of the color in Rainier comes from the shrubs and ground cover that blanket the vast meadows surrounding that famous three-summited mountain amid 26 glaciers. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024

Choosing low-growing perennials is a convenient and effective ground cover, minimizes erosion, and adds foliage and flowers to the area. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ground cover

noun

: low-growing plants that cover the ground (as in a forest or in place of grass or a lawn)

also : a plant used as ground cover