wilderness
English
/ˈwɪl.də.nɪs/, /ˈwɪl.dəɹ.nəs/
noun
Definitions
- (countable) An unsettled and uncultivated tract of land in its natural state; a barren land; a wild or waste.
- (countable) A place that is uncared for, and therefore devoted to disorder or wildness.
- (uncountable) Wild or unrefined state; wildness.
- (countable) A bewildering flock or throng.
- (countable) A situation that is bewildering, or that which makes one feel awkward.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English wildernesse, wilderne (wilderness) inherited from Old English *wilddēornes, wilddēoren (wild, savage).
Origin
Old English
wilddēoren
Gloss
wild, savage
Concept
Semantic Field
Animals
Ontological Category
Property
Emoji
🐅 🐆 🐗 🐯 🐺 🦁
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- nonwilderness English
- wild Dutch, Flemish
- wildernis Dutch, Flemish
- *wilddēornes Old English
- wilddēoren Old English
- wilderne Middle English
- wildernesse Middle English
- wildernisse Middle Dutch
- wildernisse Middle Low German
- Wüüldernis Saterland Frisian
- Wildernis Low German