Mead"ow (?), n. [AS. meady; akin to md, and to G. matte; prob. also to E. mow. See Mow to cut (grass), and cf. 2d Mead.]
1.
A tract of low or level land producing grass which is mown for hay; any field on which grass is grown for hay.
2.
Low land covered with coarse grass or rank herbage near rives and in marshy places by the sea; as, the salt meadows near Newark Bay.
© Webster 1913.
Mead"ow, a.
Of or pertaining to a meadow; of the nature of a meadow; produced, growing, or living in, a meadow.
"Fat
meadow ground."
Milton.
⇒ For many names of plants compounded with meadow, see the particular word in the Vocabulary.
Meadow beauty. Bot. Same as Deergrass. -- Meadow foxtail Bot., a valuable pasture grass (Alopecurus pratensis) resembling timothy, but with softer spikes. -- Meadow grass Bot., a name given to several grasses of the genus Poa, common in meadows, and of great value for nay and for pasture. See Grass. -- Meadow hay, a coarse grass, or true sedge, growing in uncultivated swamp or river meadow; -- used as fodder or bedding for cattle, packing for ice, etc. [Local, U. S.] -- Meadow hen. Zool. (a) The American bittern. See Stake-driver. (b) The American coot (Fulica). (c) The clapper rail. -- Meadow lark Zool., any species of Sturnella, a genus of American birds allied to the starlings. The common species (S. magna) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. -- Meadow mouse Zool., any mouse of the genus Arvicola, as the common American species A. riparia; -- called also field mouse, and field vole. -- Meadow mussel Zool., an American ribbed mussel (Modiola plicatula), very abundant in salt marshes. -- Meadow ore Min., bog-iron ore , a kind of limonite. -- Meadow parsnip. Bot. See under Parsnip. -- Meadow pink. Bot. See under Pink. -- Meadow pipit Zool., a small singing bird of the genus Anthus, as A. pratensis, of Europe. -- Meadow rue Bot., a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum, having compound leaves and numerous white flowers. There are many species. -- Meadow saffron. Bot. See under Saffron. -- Meadow sage. Bot. See under Sage. -- Meadow saxifrage Bot., an umbelliferous plant of Europe (Silaus pratensis), somewhat resembling fennel. -- Meadow snipe Zool., the common or jack snipe.
© Webster 1913.