French Conversation · Level 99
60 words
French word
prairie
Pronunciation
IPA/pʁeʁi/
Meaning
- feminine nounmeadow
Example
Nous avons pique-niqué sur la prairie.
We had a picnic in the meadow.
More examples
Les vaches paissaient dans la prairie.
The cows were grazing on the prairie.
Core concept
An open stretch of living grass that can support grazing, haymaking, a picnic, or other outdoor activities.
Common phrases
sur la prairie
on the prairie
une prairie fleurie
a flowering meadow
Similar words
pré: Short grassland used to feed grazing animals.
champ: Cultivated land used for raising crops.
pelouse: A well-kept, closely cut lawn in a garden or park.
Definition in French
Terrain herbeux naturel, parfois riche en fleurs sauvages, destiné au pâturage, au fauchage ou aux activités de plein air.
Word origin
The word developed from Old French praerie, itself based on Latin pratum, meaning meadow, and the related area-forming suffix -aria.
Usage tips
- In prairie, the final -ie is pronounced as a separate sound, giving roughly two syllables: prè-rie.