chaparral

noun

chap·​ar·​ral ˌsha-pə-ˈral How to pronounce chaparral (audio)
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
broadly : a dense impenetrable thicket of shrubs or dwarf trees
2
: an ecological community composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters that occurs especially in southern California

Examples of chaparral in a Sentence

the rabbit darted into the chaparral
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.
Here's what to do if that happens, or in any scary wildlife encounter Black bears are the only species of bear found in Arizona, and they can be found in forests, chaparral and desert riparian areas. John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024 West Coast/California California’s coastal sage scrub and mixed chaparral were a huge source of inspiration for us and can be found in different combinations from southern to northern California. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024 One afternoon shortly after the vote, members of the splinter group gathered outside of San Francisco, hiking through the chaparrals of the San Bruno hills, and plotted what to do next. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 2024 It's often found in urban and suburban areas, as well as desert and chaparral habitats throughout Arizona. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chaparral 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from chaparro dwarf evergreen oak, from Basque txapar

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaparral was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near chaparral

Cite this Entry

“Chaparral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaparral. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

chaparral

noun
chap·​ar·​ral ˌshap-ə-ˈral How to pronounce chaparral (audio)
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
also : a dense thicket
2
: an ecological community that is found especially in parts of southern California and is composed of shrubby plants that grow well in dry sunny summers and moist winters

More from Merriam-Webster on chaparral

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