NYT Dictionary

MEADOW

/ˈmɛd.oʊ̯/
NounVerbMEAD-owmead-ow · 2 syllablesGrade 2

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2024

Meaning

A field or pasture; a piece of land either intentionally cultivated with grass or (especially) naturally covered with grass, especially one that is intended to be mown for hay or to be grazed.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English medowe, medewe, medwe (also mede > Modern English mead), from Old English mǣdwe, inflected form of mǣd (see mead), from Proto-Germanic *mēdwō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂met- (“to mow, reap”), enlargement of *h₂meh₁-. Related to mead (“meadow”) and to math (“mowed result or area”). More at mow. Cognates Cognate with Yola mead (“meadow”), Saterland Frisian Mäid (“meadow”), West Frisian miede (“meadow”), Dutch made (“hayland, meadow”), German Matte (“meadow”); also Cornish mysi (“to harvest; to mow”), Welsh medi (“to reap”), Latin metō (“to harvest, reap; to cut; to mow”), Ancient Greek ἄμητος (ámētos, “harvest”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

meadlealeyleighhayfieldbogbottombottomlandcampoeverglade

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:

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