forest

[ fawr-ist, for- ]

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.

verb (used with object)

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

forest

/ 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

verb

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

forest

/ 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.

Derived Forms

• ˈforested, adjective
• ˈforestless, adjective
• ˈforestal, adjective
• ˈforest-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• forest·al fo·res·tial [f, uh, -, res, -ch, uh, l], adjective
• forest·ed adjective
• forest·less adjective
• forest·like adjective
• non·forest noun
• non·forest·ed adjective
• un·forest·ed adjective
• well-forest·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of forest¹

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.” foreign

Word History and Origins

Origin of forest¹

C13: from Old French, from Medieval Latin forestis unfenced woodland, from Latin foris outside

Idioms and Phrases

see can't see the forest for the trees .

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Starting out in Igneada, in the north of the country, he walked along a slippery, uneven trail for half a day, through dense forest and sharp shrubbery in the direction of Bulgaria.

From BBC

As JNF forestry workers began laying the groundwork for a new forest in August 2021, Israeli police helped clear the way by evicting people from their homes, which they then demolished.

From Salon

Endless acres of farmland are edged by mountains and lush forest; when the trees blaze with autumn colors, it’s a heavenly sight.

From Los Angeles Times

The film opens with our feline encountering a pack of overzealous canines in the blooming forest before napping in a seemingly abandoned Northern European-inspired home.

From Los Angeles Times

The resulting lush and exotic soundscape, featuring plaintive pan flute and sprinkled with birdsong, turned out to be perfect for the game’s spooktastic forest levels.

From New York Times

Related Words

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

More About Forest

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.

Where does forest come from?

The first records of the word forest come from the 1200s. It comes from the first part of the Late Latin phrase forestis silva, meaning “an unenclosed wooded area” (as opposed to a park). Forestis comes from the Latin forīs, meaning “outside” (the same word is the root of the word foreign). Silva comes from the Latin word for “forest” and is the basis of the English word sylvan, which means “wooded” and can be found in the name of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the region known as Transylvania.

The word woods can be used as a synonym for forest, but the word forest usually implies a much bigger area, especially one considered part of the wilderness. Forests can be found throughout the world. There are several types of forests, including rainforests (found in the tropics), temperate forests (found in temperate zones, like in North America), and boreal forests (found in northern areas). In the U.S., the term national forest refers to a forested area preserved by the federal government.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to forest?

• forested (adjective)
• forestal (adjective)
• forestial (adjective)
• forestless (adjective)
• forestlike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for forest?

• woods
• wood
• jungle

What are some words that share a root or word element with forest? 

• rainforest
• deforestation
• reforest
• forestry
• foreign

What are some words that often get used in discussing forest?

 

• trees
• national
• preserve
• tropical

How is forest used in real life?

The word forest is usually used to refer to a wild and very extensive woodland.

The fires that raged through many rainforests just one year ago are a poignant reminder of how important these forests are. Creating protected areas is the most effective way to prevent deforestation activity that leads to fires. Help save rainforests now: https://t.co/m9tDbt29pg pic.twitter.com/nH44mx3TCT

— Rainforest Trust (@RainforestTrust) August 31, 2020

Canada's "logging loophole" is allowing the logging industry to escape scrutiny and regulation over its massive toll on the climate-critical boreal forest, jeopardizing global efforts to avoid climate catastrophe. @nrdc @envirodefence @NatureCanada https://t.co/oZbWDpZQU0

— Jennifer Skene (@jen_skene) July 16, 2020

#BREAKING The U.S. Forest Service has closed all 18 national forests in California amid "unprecedented and historic fire conditions." https://t.co/7L9HDIUe3P

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 9, 2020

 

 

Try using forest!

True or False? 

The word forest usually refers to a small wooded area, like a grove of trees.