steppe

noun

ˈstep 

1

: one of the vast usually level and treeless tracts in southeastern Europe or Asia

2

: arid land with xerophilous vegetation found usually in regions of extreme temperature range and loess soil

Synonyms

• campo
• champaign
• down(s)
• grassland
• heath
• lea
• ley
• llano
• moor
• pampa
• plain
• prairie
• savanna
• savannah
• tundra
• veld
• veldt

Examples of steppe in a Sentence

nomads have long grazed yaks on the steppes of Mongolia

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of the bones may date to a period 3800 to 3500 years ago, around the time that Yamnaya pastoralists from the steppes, once called Aryans, are thought to have migrated to India. —Byvaishnavi Chandrashekhar, science.org, 4 Nov. 2024

An invasive species called Hedge Parsley has made its way to Austin from the steppes of Asia, where the plant is native. —Cross Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 9 July 2024

The find suggest Tarim Basim people learned kefir production techniques from Eurasian steppe populations. —Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 26 Sep. 2024

Once the animals were a crucial piece of the ecosystem in the steppes of Central Asia. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 4 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Russian step'

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

steppe

noun

ˈstep 

: land in regions of wide temperature range (as in southeastern Europe and parts of Asia) that is dry, usually rather level, and covered with grass