| Front | sylvan \SIL-vuhn\ |
|---|---|
| Back | adjective 1. Of, pertaining to, or inhabiting the woods. 2. Consisting of or abounding in woods or trees; wooded; woody: a shady, sylvan glade. 3. Made of trees, branches, boughs, etc. noun 4. A person dwelling in a woodland region. 5. A mythical deity or spirit of the woods. [In Latin, "sylva" means "wood" or "forest," and the related "Sylvanus" names the Roman god of the woods and fields -- a god sometimes identified with the Greek god Pan. These words gave rise to English "sylvan" in the 16th century. The English word was first used as a noun meaning "a mythological deity of the woods," eventually taking on the broader meaning "one who frequents the woods." The adjective "sylvan" followed soon after the noun and is now the more common word. Some other offspring of "sylva" (which can also be spelled "silva") include "silviculture" ("a branch of forestry dealing with the development and care of forests"), "sylvatic" (a synonym of "sylvan" that can also mean "occurring in or affecting wild animals"), and the first name "Sylvia."] |
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