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.
With the state being home to half of Nigeria’s rainforest, communities there have long relied on the forests for their survival. Saint Ekpali, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024 In late October, rescuers took Vivy to an undisclosed part of the Bornean rainforest, far from civilization, and released the orangutan back into the wild. Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024 Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the last time while in Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and, over the weekend, gave a historic speech on climate change with the backdrop of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. The Hill Staff, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024 The islands offer a variety of experiences, from black sand beaches to lush rainforests. Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2024 The Copacabana hotel sends travelers with guides and decadent picnic baskets into Tijuca National Park, the world's largest urban rainforest, established in 1861. Rafael Tonon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2024 Now, this work of art meant to evoke the rainforest has a whole pavilion to itself. William O'Connor, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2024 In 2022, two bodies were found tied to a tree in the Amazon rainforest more than a week after Phillips and Pereira disappeared, authorities said. Matthew Impelli, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 In two referendums last year, voters chose to block mining in another cloud forest, and to stop oil production in part of the Amazon rainforest. Harriet Marsden, The Week Uk, theweek, 3 Nov. 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 30 Nov. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!