Grass

For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation).

Poa annua, an annual grass

Grass refers to various families of plants. The three major families of grasslike plants are true grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), and rushes (Juncaceae). Lawns and pasturelands are typically composed of true grasses, five of which cover 46% of the world's arable land: rice, wheat, maize, barley, and sugar cane.^[1][2]

"Grass" as a name has been applied to a wide group of unrelated plants including herbaceous plants whose leaves and stems are eaten by both domesticated and wild animals. The word may have its origin in the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰreh₁-, meaning 'to grow'.^[3]

Grass can refer to a green area, such as a lawn, park, or a field, and is often used for recreation or for sports such as lawn tennis or bowls.^[4] Beginning in the 1970s, some sports venues have installed artificial grass to reduce maintenance costs.

In the early 2020s, the slang term "touching grass" emerged, usually used as a remark towards individuals perceived as having poor social acumen due to excessive internet use and therefore lacking adequate exposure to the outside world.^[5]

In popular culture

GRASS was a coding language, named after the Poaceae. By syntax, GRASS was similar to BASIC, but added many instructions for 2D animation over time.^[6]

References

1. Kraehmer, Hansjoerg, ed. (2019). Grasses: Crops, Competitors, and Ornamentals. Wiley. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-119-41680-7.
2. Hipp, Andrew L. (2008). Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedges: An Introduction to the Genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Madinson, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-299-22590-2.
3. Jr, James P. Smith (2014-09-12). Field Guide to Grasses of California. Univ of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-95843-2.
4. "Cambridge Dictionary: Grass". Retrieved 12 July 2025.
5. "Today's SLANGUAGE (Gen Z): Touch Grass".
6. "GRASS (GRAphical Symbosis System)".