selva
Americannoun
noun
-
dense equatorial forest, esp in the Amazon basin, characterized by tall broad-leaved evergreen trees, epiphytes, lianas, etc
-
a tract of such forest
Etymology
Origin of selva
First recorded in 1840–50; from Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese: literally “forest,” from Latin silva; see origin at silva ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing selva
South America - Middle School
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South America - Introductory
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South America - High 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.
The organizers appeared to turn the word “selva,” or jungle, into “Selma” by replacing the letter V with the letter M. The word selva is directly linked to the armed forces and its veterans.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 9, 2023
Doshi frequently employs Dante's trope of selva oscura, the dark wood, to represent the love relationship, so there is a metaphorical parallel to these paired ideas.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 1, 2012
Restless by William Boyd Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks The Night Watch by Sarah Waters That Summer by Andrew Greig “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi ritrovai per una selva oscura...”
From The Guardian ● Dec. 21, 2010
For example, in Welch, Tewgris, todykris, ty'r derrin, gwillt, &c. in Italian, Donne, O danno che selo affronto affronta: in selva salvo a me, with a thousand more.
From Observations and Reflections Made in the Course of a Journey through France, Italy, and Germany, Vol. I by Piozzi, Hester Lynch
Or, when Dante describes the selva oscura, who does not see the darkness in the word oscura?
From The Principles of Aesthetics by Parker, Dewitt H.
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.
