lawn

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈlȯn How to pronounce lawn (audio) ˈlän How to pronounce lawn (audio)
Synonyms of lawnnext
1
archaic : an open space between woods : glade
2
: ground (as around a house or in a garden or park) that is covered with grass and is kept mowed
3
: a relatively even layer of bacteria covering the surface of a culture medium
lawn adjective
or lawny
ˈlȯ-nē How to pronounce lawn (audio)
ˈlä-

lawn

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric of plain weave that is thinner than cambric
lawny adjective

Examples of lawn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Reservoirs have already fallen perilously low -- with one lake so dry this year that a small town nearby let its Little League field go dry and temporarily forbade residents from washing cars or watering lawns. — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 The western addition would include new gallery space, a restaurant and a theater overlooking the south lawn. — Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 The neighborhood itself, full of wide, browning lawns and empty lots, is called the Boneyard. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Instead, lawn-mowing machines shred them, leaving plastic fragments in the soil for a very long time. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lawn

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English launde, from Anglo-French land, launde wood, unwooded field, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish lann land — more at land

Noun (2)

Middle English lawne, laund, probably from Laon, France

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lawn was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing lawn

Rhymes for lawn

See All Rhymes for lawn

Browse Nearby Words

law merchant
lawn
lawn billiards
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawn. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lawn

1 of 2 noun
ˈlȯn How to pronounce lawn (audio)
ˈlän
: ground covered with grass that is kept mowed

lawn

2 of 2 noun
: a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric
Etymology

Noun

Middle English launde "an open space between woods," from early French lande "land overgrown with shrubs"; of Celtic origin

Noun

Middle English lawn "a sheer fabric," probably from Laon, a town in France where linen was made

Medical Definition

lawn

noun
ˈlȯn, ˈlän How to pronounce lawn (audio)
: a relatively even layer of bacteria covering the surface of a culture medium

More from Merriam-Webster on lawn

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