wilderness
WIL-dur-ness
/ˈwɪldənəs/
An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.
Wilderness implies a place that is untouched by human civilization, often carrying a sense of both danger and beauty.
The story behind the word. From the Old English 'wild-deor-ness,' which literally means 'the place of wild beasts.'
Word relationships
- wilds: Wilds is more informal and often used in the plural (e.g., 'the wilds of Africa').
- backcountry: Backcountry refers to remote areas, specifically those used for recreation like skiing or hiking.
- civilization: The stage of human social development and organization.
- urban: Relating to a city or town.
Commonly confused with
- wildlife: Wildlife refers to the animals; wilderness refers to the place where they live.
Word family
- wild (adjective): Living or growing in the natural state.
Collocations
- vast wilderness
- untouched wilderness
- wilderness area
- lost in the wilderness
Idioms & expressions
- a voice in the wilderness
Example sentences
- "The mountains are the last great wilderness of the continent." Nature writing.
- "In God's wildness lies the hope of the world—the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness." Conservation.
Memory hook
Wilderness: A place where the WILD-ER-NESS (wilder animals) live. Wild animal place.
When not to use
Don't use it for a messy garden or a local park; it must be a large, wild area.
Fun facts
- The U.S. Wilderness Act of 1964 defines it as 'an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.'
Explore more words
wildfire, frontier, secluded, desolation, terrain, countryside
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