1. \Mead"ow\, n. [AS. meady; akin to m[=ae]d, 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.
   

2. \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.
   Note: 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}. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) The American bittern. See {Stake-driver}.
   (b) The American coot ({Fulica}).
   (c) The clapper rail.
   {Meadow lark} (Zo["o]l.), 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} (Zo["o]l.), any mouse of the genus {Arvicola},
      as the common American species {A. riparia}; -- called
      also {field mouse}, and {field vole}.
   {Meadow mussel} (Zo["o]l.), 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} (Zo["o]l.), 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} (Zo["o]l.), the common or jack snipe.
   

(1.) Heb. ha'ahu (Gen. 41:2, 18), probably an Egyptain word transferred to the Hebrew; some kind of reed or water-plant. In the Revised Version it is rendered "reed-grass", i.e., the sedge or rank grass by the river side.

(2.) Heb. ma'areh (Judg. 20:33), pl., "meadows of Gibeah" (R.V., after the LXX., "Maareh-geba"). Some have adopted the rendering "after Gibeah had been left open." The Vulgate translates the word "from the west."