| prairie | 1. An extensive tract of level or rolling land, destitute of trees, covered with coarse grass, and usually characterised by a deep, fertile soil. They abound throughout the Mississippi valley, between the Alleghanies and the Rocky mountains. "From the forests and the prairies, From the great lakes of the northland." (Longfellow) 2. A meadow or tract of grass; especially, a so called natural meadow. <zoology> Prairie chicken, any American grouse of the genus Tympanuchus, especially T. Americanus (formerly T. Cupido), which inhabits the prairies of the central United States. Applied also to the sharp-tailed grouse. <botany> Prairie clover See Coyote. Origin: F, an extensive meadow, OF. Praerie, LL. Prataria, fr. L. Pratum a meadow. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| prairie conjunctivitis | An obsolete term for a chronic conjunctivitis, characterised by the presence of small white spots on the palpebral conjunctiva, especially of the lower lid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| prairie itch | Pruritus of varied origin, affecting farm laborers. (05 Mar 2000) |