forest

FOR-uhst/ˈfɔɹəst/FOR-ist/ˈfɒɹɪst/

Verbforests, foresting, forested

7 meanings of forest

1
woodlandnouncountable or uncountable
A large area of land covered with many trees and other plants.
Like a huge crowd of trees all growing close together.
They hiked through the forest for hours without seeing another person.
A dense forest covered the hills beyond the village.
UsageA forest is bigger than a wood. Say in the forest.
Similarwoodland, woods
Note
2
cover with treesverbtransitive
To plant trees so they cover an area of land.
Like planting a whole field of trees instead of just one.
After the mine closed, the land was forested with young oaks.
These hills were forested with pine trees about fifty years ago.
UsageSay forested hills: hills with many trees.
Similarplant, afforest
Oppositedeforest, clear
3
dense massnouncountable or uncountable
A large, thick group of many things close together.
Like a crowd of things standing as close as trees in the woods.
A forest of hands shot up when the teacher asked a question.
She faced a forest of microphones at the press conference.
Similarmass, sea, thicket, jungle, maze
Note
4
protected royal landnounhistoricalcountable or uncountable
Long ago in England, a large area of land kept just for the king to hunt.
Like a huge private park where only the king was allowed to hunt.
The king rode out to hunt deer in the royal forest.
The king's forest covered fields and villages as well as woods.
Note

Less common meanings

5
dark greennoununcountable
A dark green color, like the leaves of trees in a wood.
Like the deep green you see on pine trees.
The rain jacket comes in black, gray, or forest.
The jacket comes in navy, forest, and burgundy.
UsageUsually said forest green.
6
noun
In computing, a group of connected computer systems managed together as one.
7
noun
In math, points joined by lines that never form a loop.

Practice

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Origin

It came through French from medieval Latin. Its older source is uncertain, perhaps a Latin word meaning 'outside' or a Germanic word for woodland.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

English forest came through French from medieval Latin. en.wiktionary.org
The earlier origin is uncertain. en.wikipedia.org
A Latin word meaning 'outside' is one proposed earlier source. en.wiktionary.org
A Germanic word meaning woodland is another proposed earlier source. en.wikipedia.org