forest
forest Lexical Profile
forest Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large continuous expanse of land covered chiefly with trees and dense undergrowth.
"The hikers spent three days trekking through the dense pine forest, marveling at the towering trees."
A dense or tangled mass of objects.
"She stepped to the podium, facing a forest of microphones and television cameras."
• verb
To cover (land) with trees or plant with a forest.
"The government launched an ambitious initiative to forest the barren hillsides over the next decade."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'woods', a 'forest' is generally understood to be much larger, denser, and more ecologically complex.
• Rhymes for forest
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English, via Old French 'forest', from Late Latin 'foresta' (silva) meaning 'wood outside', likely deriving from Latin 'foris' (outside). Originally, it referred to unenclosed woodland reserved for royal hunting.