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steppe

steppe

noun STEP Rare

Usage Note

Steppe entered French (and English) from Russian step', describing the vast flat treeless grasslands of central Eurasia. In French it is feminine (la steppe). Geographically it is linked to the expression climat steppique (steppe climate), and the word evokes the landscapes of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the Ukrainian plains.

Examples

"Les steppes d'Asie centrale sont immenses."

Natural Translation

The steppes of Central Asia are immense.

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