Palouse, the

Agricultural region in eastern Washington, USA. One of the world's most productive wheat-growing areas, it extends south from Spokane to the Snake River and east into western Idaho. The region is drained by the Palouse River. Steady southwesterly winds, known as palousers, have blown fertile loess soil into drifts, and rich grass covers the Palouse Hills. Other regional crops include soybeans, and the area provides grazing for livestock.

The Appaloosa horse is said to have gained its name from an alternative form of Palouse.