selva
[ sel-vuh ]
/ ˈsɛl və /
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noun
a tropical rainforest, as that in the Amazon basin of South America.
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Origin of selva
First recorded in 1840–50; from Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese: literally “forest,” from Latin silva; see origin at silva
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use selva in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for selva
selva
/ (ˈsɛlvə) /
noun
dense equatorial forest, esp in the Amazon basin, characterized by tall broad-leaved evergreen trees, epiphytes, lianas, etc
a tract of such forest
Word Origin for selva
C19: from Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin silva forest
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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