forest

American  

[fawr-ist, for-] / ˈfɔr ɪst, ˈfɒr- /

noun

1. a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush; woodland.

2. the trees on such a tract.

   to cut down a forest.

3. a tract of wooded grounds in England formerly belonging to the sovereign and set apart for game.

4. a thick cluster of vertical objects.

   a forest of church spires.

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verb (used with object)

1. to supply or cover with trees; convert into a forest.

forest British  

/ fəˈrɛstɪəl, ˈfɒrɪst /

noun

1. a large wooded area having a thick growth of trees and plants

2. the trees of such an area

3. an area planted with exotic pines or similar trees Compare bush 1

4. something resembling a large wooded area, esp in density

   a forest of telegraph poles

5. law (formerly) an area of woodland, esp one owned by the sovereign and set apart as a hunting ground with its own laws and officers Compare park

6. (modifier) of, involving, or living in a forest or forests

   a forest glade

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verb

1. (tr) to create a forest (in); plant with trees

forest Scientific  

/ fôr′ĭst /

1. A growth of trees covering a large area. Forests exist in all regions of the Earth except for regions of extreme cold or dryness.

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forest Idioms  

1. see can't see the forest for the trees.

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Usage

What does forest mean? 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.

Synonym Usage

Forest, grove, wood refer to an area covered with trees. A forest is an extensive area, preserving some or all of its primitive wildness and usually having game or wild animals in it: Sherwood Forest; the Black Forest. A grove is a group or cluster of trees, usually not very large in area and cleared of underbrush. It is usually tended or cultivated: a shady grove; a grove of pines; an orange grove; a walnut grove. Woods (or a wood ) resembles a forest but is a smaller tract of land, less wild in character, and generally closer to civilization: lost in the woods; a wood covering several acres.

Other Word Forms

• forest-like
  adjective
• forestal
  adjective
• forested
  adjective
• forestial
  adjective
• forestless
  adjective
• forestlike
  adjective
• nonforest
  noun
• nonforested
  adjective
• unforested
  adjective
• well-forested
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of forest

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin forestis (silva) “an unenclosed wood” (as opposed to a park), derivative of Latin forīs “outside.” Cf. foreign

Explanation

A forest is a densely wooded area, or land covered with trees and shrubs. As a verb it means to establish a forest where none existed before. Famous forests include the Sherwood Forest of Nottinghamshire, England, associated with legend of Robin Hood; the Black Forest of southwestern Germany, so named because it's so dense that very little light enters it; the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil (and 8 other countries of South America); and the forests that make up the Redwood National and State Parks of California, where you can find the tallest trees on earth.

Example Sentences

It notably does not include forest lost to fires, but after a record fire season in 2024, the country was relatively spared major infernos last year.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

This was as a result of feral goats who ate every tree seedling which then prevented the forest from regenerating.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

"We can imagine it living in a Cretaceous forest, probably near the coast."

From Science Daily • May 25, 2026

“Palaces of the Crow” charts Neriya’s survival in the forest with a band of other foundlings who were similarly saved by their winged protectors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

The mirage from the road is in the forest, too.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• jungle
• park
• thicket
• timber
• wood
• woodland