heath

¹ American  

[heeth] / hiθ /

noun

1. a tract of open and uncultivated land; wasteland overgrown with shrubs.

2. any of various low-growing evergreen shrubs common on such land, as the common heather, Calluna vulgaris.

3. any plant of the genus Erica, or of the family Ericaceae.

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Heath ² American  

[heeth] / hiθ /

noun

1. Sir Edward (Richard George), 1916–2005, British statesman: prime minister 1970–74.

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heath ¹ British  

/ hiːθ /

noun

1. a large open area, usually with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation, esp heather

2. Also called: heather.  any low-growing evergreen ericaceous shrub of the Old World genus Erica and related genera, having small bell-shaped typically pink or purple flowers

3. any of several nonericaceous heathlike plants, such as sea heath

4. any of various heathlike plants of the genus Epacris : family Epacridaceae

5. any of various small brown satyrid butterflies of the genus Coenonympha, with coppery-brown wings, esp the large heath ( C. tullia )

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Heath ² British  

/ hiːθ /

noun

1. Sir Edward ( Richard George ). 1916–2005, British statesman; leader of the Conservative Party (1965–75); prime minister (1970–74)

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Other Word Forms

• heathless adjective
• heathlike adjective
• heathy adjective

Etymology

Origin of heath

before 900; Middle English; Old English hǣth; cognate with German Heide, Old Norse heithr, Gothic haithi; akin to Welsh coed trees, wood

Explanation

Heath is open land with low growing grasses and plants. If you travel to England, you can drive out in the countryside to see the heath that you've read about in novels. An open, sandy field of low shrubs and scrubby plants like gorse and heather is called a heath. Another word for this kind of uncultivated countryside is moor. A particular evergreen shrub is also called a heath; it's a low-growing plant with purplish flowers that commonly grows on, you guessed it, a heath. The Old English root of heath is the word hǣth, which means "wasteland."

Example Sentences

Demi Lovato is making some changes to their upcoming tour in order to prioritize their heath.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Santa Margarita beat Centennial earlier this season 33-27 in overtime in a game Logan missed because of a heath scare.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2025

In pushing the “sickest generation” trope, the report glides over the heath threats faced by children — and adults — before vaccines were available for specific diseases.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2025

The mountain range has more than 50% of Northern Ireland's upland heath habitat, according to Mr Fisher.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025

After he died, Vincent van Gogh was remembered by Zundert neighbors as both the boy who took long walks alone on the heath and the boy who stayed inside reading all the time.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• expanse
• field
• grassland
• meadow
• plateau
• prairie
• steppe