kikuyu grass

noun

A tropical grass, Pennisetum clandestinum, native to Kenya and now a common lawn grass and invasive species elsewhere.

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Meanings

kikuyu grass1

nounkikuyu grass (plural kikuyu grasses)

plural kikuyu grasses

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Kikuyu grass.

Kikuyu grass2

nounKikuyu grass (usually uncountable, plural Kikuyu grasses)

plural Kikuyu grasses · alternative kikuyugrass · alternative kikuyu grass

  1. uncountableusuallyA tropical grass, Pennisetum clandestinum, native to Kenya and now a common lawn grass and invasive species elsewhere.

    Bo pulled the Pajero off the road and parked on a patch of scuffed kikuyu grass in front of a small weatherboard house.

    2002, Alex Miller, Journey to the Stone Country, Allen & Unwin, published 2003, page 64

Origin

So named as it is native to the highland regions of East Africa where the Kikuyu people live.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

kikuyu grass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kikuyu%20grass

MLA

“kikuyu grass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kikuyu%20grass. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kikuyu grass,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kikuyu%20grass.

Source: kikuyu grass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.