semi-arid
Steppe-like climate zone
Semi-arid describes climates or regions that receive limited rainfall—more than deserts but not enough to support lush vegetation.
Semi-arid landscapes typically feature grasses, shrubs, and scattered trees rather than dense forests: The semi-arid plains of eastern Colorado.
The term appears in geography, agriculture, and climate science to classify zones between arid and humid.
Treeless Eurasian grassland
- savannaTropical grassland, sparse trees
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
- shrublandBush-dominated vegetation zone
- scrublandArea of low shrubs
chaparral · veldt · prairie · outback · badlands · mesa · plateau · canyon
Clean by rubbing hard
- brushBristled cleaning tool
- sagebrushAromatic arid-land shrub
- acaciaThorny warm-climate shrub
- baobabBulbous African tree species
thorn-tree · bunchgrass · fescue · shrub · xerophyte · succulent · mesquite · saltbush
Artificial water supply for agriculture
- grazingFeeding on pasture
- pastoralismMobile livestock husbandry
- ranchingOperating a livestock farm
- overgrazingExcessive pasture consumption
millet · sorghum · groundnut · fallow · terracing · desertification
Free from moisture
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- rainfallWater falling from clouds
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- drought-proneLikely to lack rainfall
precipitation · monsoon · irrigation · dryland · rain-fed · subtropical · continental
Swift horned grazer
- gazelleSwift, slender antelope
- kangarooPouched Australian leaper
- emuFlightless Australian bird
- coyoteWild North American canid
jackrabbit · rattlesnake · lizard · vulture · roadrunner · meerkat · oryx · bustard
steppe
Treeless Eurasian grassland
- savannaTropical grassland, sparse trees
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
- shrublandBush-dominated vegetation zone
scrubland · chaparral · veldt · prairie · outback · badlands · mesa · plateau · canyon · arroyo
scrub
Clean by rubbing hard
baobab · thorn-tree · bunchgrass · fescue · shrub · xerophyte · succulent · mesquite · saltbush · spinifex
irrigation
Artificial water supply for agriculture
- grazingFeeding on pasture
- pastoralismMobile livestock husbandry
- ranchingOperating a livestock farm
overgrazing · millet · sorghum · groundnut · fallow · terracing · desertification
dry
Free from moisture
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- rainfallWater falling from clouds
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
drought-prone · precipitation · monsoon · irrigation · dryland · rain-fed · subtropical · continental
antelope
Swift horned grazer
coyote · jackrabbit · rattlesnake · lizard · vulture · roadrunner · meerkat · oryx · bustard · tortoise
- desert climatedry heat, extreme heat, scorching heat, desert heat, hot summers
- habitatsforest, ocean, lake, river, pond
- moisturemoisture, humidity, dampness, wetness, wet
- African ClimateSahara, Sahel, Kalahari, Namib, tropical
- Australian Weatherheatwave, bushfire, cyclone, dust storm, drought
- climatestropical, subtropical, temperate forest, equatorial, continental
semi-aridhumid
Containing much moisture
wet · rainy · tropical · moist · waterlogged
semi-aridarid
Devoid of water
desert · hyper-arid · rainforest · tropical rainforest · temperate rainforest