wilderness

¹

[wil-der-nis]

noun

1. a wild and uncultivated region, as of forest or desert, uninhabited or inhabited only by wild animals; a tract of wasteland.

2. a tract of land officially designated as such and protected by the U.S. government.

3. any desolate tract, as of open sea.

4. a part of a garden set apart for plants growing with unchecked luxuriance.

5. a bewildering mass or collection.

Wilderness

²

[wil-der-nis]

noun

1. a wooded area in NE Virginia: several battles fought here in 1864 between armies of Grant and Lee.

wilderness

¹

/ ˈwɪldənɪs /

noun

1. a wild, uninhabited, and uncultivated region

2. any desolate tract or area

3. a confused mass or collection

4. a person, group, etc, making a suggestion or plea that is ignored

5. no longer having influence, recognition, or publicity

Wilderness

²

/ ˈwɪldənɪs /

noun

1. the barren regions to the south and east of Palestine, esp those in which the Israelites wandered before entering the Promised Land and in which Christ fasted for 40 days and nights

Word History and Origins

Origin of wilderness¹

1150–1200; Middle English; Old English *wil ( d ) dēornes, equivalent to either wil ( d ) dēor wild beast ( wild, deer ) + -nes -ness, or wilddēoren wild, savage ( wilddēor + -en -en ² ) + ( -n ) es -ness; probably reinforced by Middle English wildernes, genitive of wildern wilderness (noun use of Old English wilddēoren ), in phrases like wildernes land land of wilderness

Word History and Origins

Origin of wilderness¹

Old English wildēornes, from wildēor wild beast (from _wild + dēor beast, _deer ) + _-ness ; related to Middle Dutch wildernisse, German Wildernis

Synonym Study

See desert ¹.

Example Sentences

They’ve collaborated on a new book, “Science Under Siege,” that analyzes the forces fueling the politicization of science and its consequences and map out a possible path out of the wilderness.

From Los Angeles Times

But I think there’s something to be said for using this time in the federal wilderness, at the national level, to be rethinking this strategy.

From Los Angeles Times

Many questions about his disappearance remain, including why he took his children and disappeared into New Zealand's harsh wilderness, and whether he was able to evade capture for so long by having help.

From BBC

Locals know Phillips as a bushman with survival skills that would have set him up for building shelters and foraging for food in the wilderness.

From BBC

It touched down in places such as Vietnam and Alaska and ended with a helicopter ride to safety for Montgomery and a sober but ultimately uplifting lesson in wilderness survival rules for Troop 26.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• back country 
• desert 
• forest 
• jungle 
• outback 
• wasteland