What does wilderness mean?

Definitions for wilderness
ˈwɪl dər nɪswilder·ness

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word wilderness.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. wildernessnoun

    (politics) a state of disfavor

    "he led the Democratic party back from the wilderness"

  2. Wildernessnoun

    a wooded region in northeastern Virginia near Spotsylvania where bloody but inconclusive battles were fought in the American Civil War

  3. wilderness, wildnoun

    a wild and uninhabited area left in its natural condition

    "it was a wilderness preserved for the hawks and mountaineers"

  4. wildernessnoun

    a bewildering profusion

    "the duties of citizenship are lost sight of in the wilderness of interests of individuals and groups"; "a wilderness of masts in the harbor"

Wiktionary

  1. wildernessnoun

    An unsettled and uncultivated tract of land left in its natural state

  2. Etymology: Either from unattested * (cognate with Dutch wildernis, German Wildnis), or from Old English wilddeoren + -nes.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Wildernessnoun

    Etymology: from wild.

    He travell’d through wide wasteful ground,
    That nought but desert wilderness shew’d all around. F. Qu.

    When as the land she saw no more appear,
    But a wild wilderness of waters deep,
    Then ’gan she greatly to lament and weep. Edmund Spenser.

    O my poor kingdom, sick with civil blows!
    When that my care could not with-hold thy riots,
    What wilt thou do when riot is thy care?
    O, thou wilt be a wilderness again,
    Peopled with wolves, thy old inhabitants. William Shakespeare.

    But who can always on the billows lie?
    The wat’ry wilderness yields no supply. Edmund Waller.

    All those animals have been obliged to change their woods and wildernesses for lodgings in cities. Scriblerus Club .

    The paths and bow’rs, doubt not, but our joint hands
    Will keep from wilderness with ease. John Milton.

Wikipedia

  1. Wilderness

    Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural) are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally referred to terrestrial environments, though growing attention is being placed on marine wilderness. Recent maps of wilderness suggest it covers roughly one quarter of Earth's terrestrial surface, but is being rapidly degraded by human activity. Even less wilderness remains in the ocean, with only 13.2% free from intense human activity.Some governments establish protection for wilderness areas by law to not only preserve what already exists, but also to promote and advance a natural expression and development. These can be set up in preserves, conservation preserves, national forests, national parks and even in urban areas along rivers, gulches or otherwise undeveloped areas. Often these areas are considered important for the survival of certain species, biodiversity, ecological studies, conservation, solitude and recreation. They may also preserve historic genetic traits and provide habitat for wild flora and fauna that may be difficult to recreate in zoos, arboretums or laboratories.

ChatGPT

  1. wilderness

    Wilderness is a natural environment that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It is a region that is in a wild, uncontrolled, and uncultivated state, typically inhabited only by wild animals. Wilderness areas can also be characterized by their lack of development, absence of human structures, and peace and quietness, being places where humans only pass through but do not remain. They may include forests, mountains, deserts, or tundra regions. Some areas are designated as protected wilderness zones due to their ecological, historical, or cultural value.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Wildernessverb

    a tract of land, or a region, uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings, whether a forest or a wide, barren plain; a wild; a waste; a desert; a pathless waste of any kind

  2. Wildernessverb

    a disorderly or neglected place

  3. Wildernessverb

    quality or state of being wild; wildness

  4. Etymology: [OE. wildernesse, wilderne,probably from AS. wildor a wild beast; cf. D. wildernis wilderness. See Wilder, v. t.]

Wikidata

  1. Wilderness

    Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with roads, pipelines or other industrial infrastructure." Wilderness areas can be found in preserves, estates, farms, conservation preserves, ranches, National Forests, National Parks and even in urban areas along rivers, gulches or otherwise undeveloped areas. These areas are considered important for the survival of certain species, biodiversity, ecological studies, conservation, solitude, and recreation. Wilderness is deeply valued for cultural, spiritual, moral, and aesthetic reasons. Some nature writers believe wilderness areas are vital for the human spirit and creativity. They may also preserve historic genetic traits and provide habitat for wild flora and fauna that may be difficult to recreate in zoos, arboretums or laboratories. The word wilderness derives from the notion of "wildness"—in other words, that which is not controllable by humans. The word's etymology is from the wildeornes, which in turn derives from wildeor meaning wild beast From this point of view, it is the wildness of a place that makes it a wilderness. The mere presence or activity of people does not disqualify an area from being "wilderness." Many ecosystems that are, or have been, inhabited or influenced by activities of people may still be considered "wild." This way of looking at wilderness includes areas within which natural processes operate without human interference.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Wilderness

    a district covered with brushwood in Virginia, U.S., the scene of a two days' terrible conflict between the Federals and the Confederates on the 5th and 6th May 1864.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Wilderness

    Environment un-modified by human activity. Areas in which natural processes operate without human interference.

Suggested Resources

  1. wilderness

    Song lyrics by wilderness -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by wilderness on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. WILDERNESS

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Wilderness is ranked #160975 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Wilderness surname appeared 100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Wilderness.

    78% or 78 total occurrences were Black.
    19% or 19 total occurrences were White.

How to pronounce wilderness?

How to say wilderness in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of wilderness in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of wilderness in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of wilderness in a Sentence

  1. Carole King:

    Supporting CIEDRA is like agreeing to give away two of your children to save one, if you love wilderness, why would you not fight to save Supporting CIEDRA all ?

  2. Lynn Cullivan:

    People think the bay is their backyard, but it really is the beginning of the wilderness.

  3. John Romfo:

    It’s just such an amazing experience in that it forces this bonding that [guests] would otherwise not get, it’s not just that you’re in a really nice tent. The food is amazing, but appropriate for the wilderness. You’ve got activities from shooting guns to riding horses to floating the river, and you come back to the camping experience. Guests just go crazy for it.

  4. Lisa Murkowski:

    The Biden administration’s actions are not unexpected but are outrageous nonetheless, suspending leases in Alaska’s 1002 Area is in direct conflict with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, through which Congress mandates an oil and gas leasing program be established on the non-wilderness Coastal Plain, and ordered at least two lease sales by 2024.

  5. William Cowper:

    Oh to have a lodge in some vast wilderness. Where rumors of oppression and deceit, of unsuccessful and successful wars may never reach me anymore.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

wilderness#1#7846#10000

Translations for wilderness

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"wilderness." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/wilderness>.

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