forest

A forest is a large area of land that’s covered in trees. The word forest can also refer collectively to those trees.

An area that’s covered in trees can be described with the adjective forested.

Less commonly, forest can be used as a verb meaning to cover an area with trees. This sense of the word is used in the terms deforestation (the clearing of a forested area) and reforesting (planting trees in a woodland that has been deforested or destroyed by a forest fire).

Sometimes, forest is used in a figurative way to refer to a collection of vertical objects clustered together, as in Many of these new cities look like forests of skyscrapers. 

Example: We were deep in the forest, with no roads or buildings for miles.

The first records of the word forest come from the 1200s. It comes from the first part of the Late Latin phrase forestis silva, meaning “an unenclosed wooded area” (as opposed to a park). Forestis comes from the Latin forīs, meaning “outside” (the same word is the root of the word foreign). Silva comes from the Latin word for “forest” and is the basis of the English word sylvan, which means “wooded” and can be found in the name of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the region known as Transylvania.

The word woods can be used as a synonym for forest, but the word forest usually implies a much bigger area, especially one considered part of the wilderness. Forests can be found throughout the world. There are several types of forests, including rainforests (found in the tropics), temperate forests (found in temperate zones, like in North America), and boreal forests (found in northern areas). In the U.S., the term national forest refers to a forested area preserved by the federal government.

What are some other forms related to forest?

• forested (adjective)
• forestal (adjective)
• forestial (adjective)
• forestless (adjective)
• forestlike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for forest?

• woods
• wood
• jungle

What are some words that share a root or word element with forest? 

• rainforest
• deforestation
• reforest
• forestry
• foreign

What are some words that often get used in discussing forest?

• trees
• national
• preserve
• tropical

The word forest is usually used to refer to a wild and very extensive woodland.

The fires that raged through many rainforests just one year ago are a poignant reminder of how important these forests are. Creating protected areas is the most effective way to prevent deforestation activity that leads to fires. Help save rainforests now: https://t.co/m9tDbt29pg pic.twitter.com/nH44mx3TCT

— Rainforest Trust (@RainforestTrust) August 31, 2020

Canada's "logging loophole" is allowing the logging industry to escape scrutiny and regulation over its massive toll on the climate-critical boreal forest, jeopardizing global efforts to avoid climate catastrophe. @nrdc @envirodefence @NatureCanada https://t.co/oZbWDpZQU0

— Jennifer Skene (@jen_skene) July 16, 2020

#BREAKING The U.S. Forest Service has closed all 18 national forests in California amid "unprecedented and historic fire conditions." https://t.co/7L9HDIUe3P

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 9, 2020

True or False? 

The word forest usually refers to a small wooded area, like a grove of trees.