bluegrass

[ bloo-gras, -grahs ]

noun

1. any grass of the genus Poa, as the Kentucky bluegrass, P. pratensis, having dense tufts of bluish-green blades and creeping rhizomes.
2. country music that is polyphonic in character and is played on unamplified stringed instruments, with emphasis especially on the solo banjo.
3. the Bluegrass. Bluegrass Region.

bluegrass

/ ˈbluːˌɡrɑːs /

noun

1. any of several North American bluish-green grasses of the genus Poa , esp P. pratensis ( Kentucky bluegrass ), grown for forage
2. a type of folk music originating in Kentucky, characterized by a simple harmonized accompaniment

bluegrass

1. A kind of folk music for guitar , banjo , violin , other stringed instruments, and voice; bluegrass is distinguished by rapid notes and improvisation by the musicians.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bluegrass¹

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; blue + grass

Example Sentences

Dozens of musicians passed through the outfit, and its repertoire embraced the music of Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Gordon Lightfoot, greatly broadening the audience for bluegrass.

From Washington Post

In live performance, the group reverted to the style of the earliest bluegrass bands by having the entire group gather around one microphone for their vocals and solos.

From Washington Post

In bluegrass parlance, he often sang “high baritone” and “low tenor,” the middle harmony parts.

From Washington Post

I’ve been going to local outdoor concerts and swing dancing to bluegrass and folk, and while I don’t know many of the songs, the feeling they capture is all I need from my summer of music.

From Time

You’ll also find family-friendly events like live bluegrass and clogging at the Pollock Dining Room, plus the Mountain Taproom.

From Outside Online

The law has been on the books in the Bluegrass State for a long time.

From The Daily Beast

The Bluegrass State is eager to grow hemp for the purposes of research and commerce.

From The Daily Beast

The race was called minutes after polls closed in the Bluegrass State.

From The Daily Beast

Bluegrass Tea Partiers will need major reinforcements to even have a hope of defeating the veteran senator.

From The Daily Beast

Scotts Miracle Gro made a pest resistant Kentucky bluegrass in 2011 using the same technology.

From The Daily Beast

He looked like a mountaineer and could hardly be expected to measure up to the bluegrass requirements of courtesy.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, he had come down here to the cultured bluegrass, and was being pointed out as something of a hero.

From Project Gutenberg

In his mountains such an association would have been tantamount to an engagement, but here in the bluegrass it was different.

From Project Gutenberg

Over this land was brooding one of those days of rare charm that sometimes come to the bluegrass about the first of July.

From Project Gutenberg

The militia officer from the bluegrass, who had come to act as umpire, masked his smile as he judged that contest.

From Project Gutenberg