deforestation

American  

[dee-fawr-uh-stey-shuhn, for-] / ˌdi fɔr əˈsteɪ ʃən, fɒr- /

noun

1. the clearing or severe thinning of a forest or other wooded area, leaving few or no trees.

   Most of the world’s deforestation is happening in Brazil.

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deforestation Scientific  

/ dē-fôr′ĭ-stā′shən /

1. The cutting down and removal of all or most of the trees in a forested area. Deforestation can erode soils, contribute to desertification and the pollution of waterways, and decrease biodiversity through the destruction of habitat.

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deforestation Cultural  

1. The process of destroying a forest and replacing it with something else. The term is used today to refer to the destruction of forests by human beings and their replacement by agricultural systems.

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Discover More

Deforestation is considered to be a main contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Etymology

Origin of deforestation

First recorded in 1870–75; deforest ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Explanation

Deforestation is the clearing of trees, transforming a wooded area into cleared land. The first step in turning the wilderness into a shopping center is deforestation. You can see the word forest in deforestation. The prefix de- means "remove" and the suffix -ation signals "the act or state of." So deforestation is the act of removing a forest. First, the trees are chopped down, the wood shipped around the world for making products. Then the land is made smooth enough for homes, businesses, or farming. Today, in many places, laws limit the amount of deforestation.

Example Sentences

Deforestation "has not meaningfully declined" despite a global pledge to halt forest destruction, but next month's UN climate summit in the Amazon could mark a turning point, experts said Tuesday.

From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025

Deforestation has remained a significant issue globally, with primary forests contributing to 16 per cent of the total tree cover loss in the last two decades, driven by climate change and intensive human activity.

From Science Daily • Nov. 25, 2024

Deforestation fell significantly in Brazil's Amazon in 2023 but the world remains far off track to meeting its target of halting it by 2030, according to the World Resources Institute.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2024

Deforestation and flooding in Bangladesh, the collapse of Black Sea fisheries, the desertification of sub-Saharan Africa and “a nearly endless list” of other issues, he said, would drive human migration.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2024

Deforestation, rendering the streams too warm for the brook trout, has changed the fly-fisherman's feeling in the matter.

From The Determined Angler and the Brook Trout an anthological volume of trout fishing, trout histories, trout lore, trout resorts, and trout tackle by Bradford, Charles Barker

Related Words

• desertification
• erosion
• logging