wilderness

wil·der·ness

noun \ˈwil-dər-nəs\

Definition of WILDERNESS

1

a (1) : a tract or region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings (2) : an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community b : an empty or pathless area or region <in remote wildernesses of space groups of nebulae are found — G. W. Gray †1960> c : a part of a garden devoted to wild growth

2

obsolete : wild or uncultivated state

3

a : a confusing multitude or mass : an indefinitely great number or quantity <I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys — Shakespeare> b : a bewildering situation <those moral wildernesses of civilized life — Norman Mailer>

Examples of WILDERNESS

1. She enjoys hikes through the wilderness.
2. <released the wolf back into the wilderness>

Origin of WILDERNESS

Middle English, from wildern wild, from Old English wilddēoren of wild beasts

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to WILDERNESS

Synonyms: open, open air, outdoors, out-of-doors, wild, nature

Related Words: backwoods, bush, country, frontier, hinterland, sticks, up-country; outside, without; badland, barren, desert, waste, wasteland

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Other Wood Production Terms

cord, lumber, punk