Deforestation is the large‑scale cutting down or clearing of forests, often so the land can be used for farming, building, or other human activities.
It comes from “de-” (removal) and “forest,” from Old French “forest,” from Medieval Latin “forestis” (outside woodland). The noun “deforestation” formed in Modern English to describe this removal of forests.
Deforestation isn’t just about losing trees; it rewrites entire local climates, water cycles, and habitats. The word sounds technical, but behind it are billions of tiny lost homes—for insects, animals, and even microorganisms we barely understand.
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