rainforest

noun

rain·​for·​est ˈrān-ˌfȯr-əst How to pronounce rainforest (audio)
-ˌfär-
variants or less commonly rain forest
plural rainforests also rain forests
1
: a tropical woodland with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches (254 centimeters) and marked by lofty broad-leaved evergreen trees forming a continuous canopy

called also tropical rainforest

2

Examples of rainforest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Machu Picchu in Peru, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Mount Shasta in California, the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the sacred Cenotes of Mexico, Glastonbury in England and the rainforests of Costa Rica to name just a few will be en vogue in 2025. Roger Sands, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024 Then kayak the Wailua River, slipping through dense rainforest to hidden sacred falls. Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024 While vacationers explored the black-sand beaches of Nuku Hiva or the rainforests of Hiva Oa (where the cruise line’s namesake artist lived and died), doctors got to work. Ellen Carpenter, AFAR Media, 16 Dec. 2024 With a guide, guests will be able to witness these animals in their natural habitat, with an ancient rainforest around them. Deborah Calmeyer, Travel + Leisure, 6 Dec. 2024 Inspired by the Amazonian rainforest at dawn, this boasts a sensually exotic smell similar to the natural resin found in the Brazilian jungle. Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Nov. 2024 There are ones that help save cats and dogs or conserve rainforests, among a bunch of other great causes. Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024 The active but currently dormant Arenal Volcano is surrounded by verdant rainforests. Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Nov. 2024 However, one taste of genuine chocolate was enough to convince the James Beard Award-winning writer that the soul of cacao still exists, and to send him on a wild goose chase that would take him from the rainforests of Bolivia and Brazil to Belize and Guatemala to track it down in the wild. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainforest was in 1900

Dictionary Entries Near rainforest

Cite this Entry

“Rainforest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainforest. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

rain forest

noun
1
: an often tropical woodland with a high annual rainfall and very tall evergreen trees with tops forming a continuous layer

called also tropical rain forest

2

More from Merriam-Webster on rainforest

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