steppe

Meaning

Noun

• The grasslands of Eastern Europe and Asia. Similar to (North American) prairie and (African) savanna.
• A vast cold, dry grass-plain.

Origin

• From German Steppe or French steppe, in turn from Russian степь ("flat grassy plain") or Ukrainian степ. There is no generally accepted earlier etymology, but there is a speculative Old East Slavic reconstruction *сътепь, related to топот, топтать.