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

In 1974, Soviet scientists fired rockets from the steppes of Kazakhstan into the upper atmosphere. —Carl Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Feb. 2025

The new population comes from the steppes of a different location: between the North Caucasus Mountains and the lower Volga. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025

The new study presents strong genetic evidence linking Indo-European origins to the steppe. —Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025

But what exactly is that? Steppe ancestry refers to the Pontic-Caspian steppes located north of the Black and Caspian Seas. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Russian step'

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for steppe

• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep
• step
• strep
• yep
• bicep
• doorstep
• footstep

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