To remove trees from land; to clear forests, typically referring to deforestation processes.
From 'de-' (prefix meaning remove) + 'afforest' (to plant trees or create forest). This is a back-formation where 'deafforest' is the opposite action of 'afforest,' rare and technical usage.
This word is almost never used—scientists prefer 'deforestation'—but it's a perfect example of how English's 'de-' prefix can theoretically reverse almost any verb, even obscure ones!
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