noun
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the science of planting and caring for trees
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the planting and management of forests
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rare forest land
Etymology
Origin of forestry
From the Middle French word foresterie, dating back to 1685–95. See forest, -ry
Explanation
The practice of managing or caring for woodlands is known as forestry. If you like the sound of all of those trees, some jobs associated with forestry include conservationist, park ranger, and timber manager. The word forestry, defined in the 17th century as "privilege of a royal forest," comes from the Medieval Latin forestem silvam, "the outside woods." By the mid-1800s, the word began to be used for "science of managing forests," a meaning it still holds today. The term actually covers a lot of (heavily forested) ground, including preserving endangered trees, protecting the habitats of animals that depend on forests, and keeping humans safe from forest fires.
Vocabulary lists containing forestry
Africa - Introductory
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Canada - Introductory
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East Asia - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“In so doing, Deere has prevented meaningful competition from those construction and forestry equipment owners who otherwise could repair equipment themselves and from independent repair providers.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Edith de Guzman, a climate change, water and urban forestry researcher with UCLA, has been studying the burn area trees with her team.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
People who work in particular industries, such as forestry or farming, are particularly at risk.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
Researchers spend "days, weeks, in some cases months" in the dense forestry of North America, says Lewis, "with many spurred on by childhood encounters or brought into the pursuit by someone close to them".
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
He had gone to Purdue University, where he’d earned a degree in forestry and conservation.
From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
