wilderness
wilderness Lexical Profile
wilderness Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region or natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity, such as vast forests, tundras, mountains, or deserts.
"The conservationists worked tirelessly to protect the pristine Alaskan wilderness from industrial development."
A neglected or abandoned area of a garden or town where plants grow unchecked, or a confused and bewildering mass or collection of things.
"After years of neglect, the once-manicured backyard had turned into a tangled wilderness of weeds and brambles."
A position of disfavor, obscurity, or exclusion, especially in a political or professional context where a person or group holds no official power or influence.
"Following the party's landslide defeat, the former minister spent a decade in the political wilderness before returning to cabinet."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English 'wildernesse', likely formed from Old English 'wildeornes', combining 'wildeor' (meaning 'wild beast', from 'wild' + 'deor', the ancestor of modern 'deer') and the suffix '-nes'.