Prairie dog

Prairie dog
Prairie 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. [1913 Webster]

From the forests and the prairies, From the great lakes of the northland. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]

2. A meadow or tract of grass; especially, a so called natural meadow. [1913 Webster]

{Prairie chicken} (Zo["o]l.), any American grouse of the genus {Tympanuchus}, especially {Tympanuchus Americanus} (formerly {Tympanuchus 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}, {Prairie plover}, or {Prairie 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}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Prairie Dog — steht für Prairie Dog Central Railway, historische Bahnstrecke in Winnipeg, Manitoba Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, Fluss in Texas Siehe auch Prairie Dog Township Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • prairie dog — prairie dogs N COUNT A prairie dog is a type of small furry animal that lives underground in the prairies of North America …   English dictionary

  • prairie dog — n a small animal with a short tail, which lives in holes on the prairies …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • prairie dog — prairie ,dog noun count a small brown animal that lives in holes in the ground on the prairies of North America …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • prairie dog — ☆ prairie dog n. any of a genus (Cynomys, family Sciuridae) of small, burrowing rodents of North America, having a barking cry and living in colonies …   English World dictionary

  • Prairie dog — This article is about the animal. For other uses, see Prairie dog (disambiguation). Prairie dogs Temporal range: Late Pliocene to Recent Black tailed prairie dogs Scientifi …   Wikipedia

  • prairie dog — any of several burrowing rodents of the genus Cynomys, of North American prairies, having a barklike cry: some are endangered. [1765 75, Amer.] * * * Any of five species (genus Cynomys) of short legged, terrestrial squirrels, named for their… …   Universalium

  • prairie dog — noun any of several rodents of North American prairies living in large complex burrows having a barking cry (Freq. 1) • Syn: ↑prairie marmot • Hypernyms: ↑rodent, ↑gnawer • Hyponyms: ↑blacktail prairie dog, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • prairie dog — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms prairie dog : singular prairie dog plural prairie dogs a small brown animal that lives in holes in the ground on the prairies of North America …   English dictionary

  • Prairie Dog Township — ist der Name mehrerer Townships in den Vereinigten Staaten: Prairie Dog Township (Kansas) Prairie Dog Township (Nebraska) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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