\Prai"rie\, n. [F., an extensive meadow, OF. praerie,
LL. prataria, fr. L. pratum a meadow.]
1. An extensive tract of level or rolling land, destitute of
   trees, covered with coarse grass, and usually
   characterized 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.
{Prairie chicken} (Zo["o]l.), 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.
{Prairie clover} (Bot.), any plant of the leguminous genus
   {Petalostemon}, having small rosy or white flowers in
   dense terminal heads or spikes. Several species occur in
   the prairies of the United States.
{Prairie dock} (Bot.), a coarse composite plant ({Silphium
   terebinthaceum}) with large rough leaves and yellow
   flowers, found in the Western prairies.
{Prairie dog} (Zo["o]l.), a small American rodent ({Cynomys
   Ludovicianus}) allied to the marmots. It inhabits the
   plains west of the Mississippi. The prairie dogs burrow in
   the ground in large warrens, and have a sharp bark like
   that of a dog. Called also {prairie marmot}.
{Prairie grouse}. Same as {Prairie chicken}, above.
{Prairie hare} (Zo["o]l.), a large long-eared Western hare
   ({Lepus campestris}). See {Jack rabbit}, under 2d {Jack}.
{Prairie hawk}, {Prairie falcon} (Zo["o]l.), a falcon of
   Western North America ({Falco Mexicanus}). The upper parts
   are brown. The tail has transverse bands of white; the
   under parts, longitudinal streaks and spots of brown.
{Prairie hen}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Prairie chicken}, above.
{Prairie itch} (Med.), an affection of the skin attended with
   intense itching, which is observed in the Northern and
   Western United States; -- also called {swamp itch},
   {winter itch}.
{Prairie marmot}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Prairie dog}, above.
{Prairie mole} (Zo["o]l.), a large American mole ({Scalops
   argentatus}), native of the Western prairies.
{Prairie pigeon}, {plover}, or {snipe} (Zo["o]l.), the upland
   plover. See {Plover}, n., 2.
{Prairie rattlesnake} (Zo["o]l.), the massasauga.
{Prairie snake} (Zo["o]l.), a large harmless American snake
   ({Masticophis flavigularis}). It is pale yellow, tinged
   with brown above.
{Prairie squirrel} (Zo["o]l.), any American ground squirrel
   of the genus {Spermophilus}, inhabiting prairies; --
   called also {gopher}.
{Prairie turnip} (Bot.), the edible turnip-shaped farinaceous
   root of a leguminous plant ({Psoralea esculenta}) of the
   Upper Missouri region; also, the plant itself. Called also
   {pomme blanche}, and {pomme de prairie}.
{Prairie warbler} (Zo["o]l.), a bright-colored American
   warbler ({Dendroica discolor}). The back is olive yellow,
   with a group of reddish spots in the middle; the under
   parts and the parts around the eyes are bright yellow; the
   sides of the throat and spots along the sides, black;
   three outer tail feathers partly white.
{Prairie wolf}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Coyote}.