noun
wilderness
WIL-der-nus/ˈwɪldərnəs/
An uncultivated natural area largely undisturbed by people.
A stream winds past pines beneath a rugged ridge in the wilderness.
Etymology
The ancestor of wilder developed the meaning “deserted or uninhabited” from an association with wild animals. With an ending that is probably -ness, it came to name uncultivated land inhabited only by such creatures.
In context
Sarek National Park, an area with no designated trails and complete wilderness.
More examples
- They pack extra food before heading into the wilderness.
- The new law protects thousands of acres of wilderness.
- The hikers explore one of the region's last untouched wildernesses.
Forms
wilderness · wildernesses
wild adjective — Existing naturally, without cultivation or human control.
Similar words
- backcountry
- Remote country that may include trails and scattered settlements.
- wildland
- Undeveloped land that need not be remote or pristine.