: of, relating to, or being a forest characterized by the presence of large old trees, numerous snags and woody debris, and a multilayered canopy and that is usually in a late stage of ecological succession
old growth noun

Examples of old-growth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In Evansville, meanwhile, qualified applicants can take advantage of a $7,200 incentive that includes $5,000 in cash, museum passes and a one-year membership to the oldest urban old-growth forest in the US. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 The film is indeed both an ode to nature, the wonders of Finnish old-growth coniferous forests and woodland animals, and to the passionate youths fighting to protect them. Annika Pham, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 Unlike most of the old-growth pines, it was not chopped for lumber after its resin was tapped. Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 Cocking herself used a pass in the early days of the program to visit Hendy Woods, a state park near Anderson Valley that is notable for its majestic old-growth redwood trees. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 This log cabin sits in the middle of an old-growth forest in the Catskills, surrounded by streams, hiking trails, and plenty of forest critters. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2024 The old-growth forest preserve is one of seven in the United States. Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 22 Jan. 2024 Converting mangrove swamps and old-growth hammocks to houses was part of South Florida’s frothy early 1920s real estate boom — heady days for moguls like Morang, who could not have foreseen oncoming natural and financial disasters. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024 The nonprofit Archangel Tree Archive in Michigan is cloning iconic old-growth tree species, including redwoods and giant sequoias, to create a genetic archive and provide new trees for planting. Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'old-growth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of old-growth was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near old-growth

Cite this Entry

“Old-growth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old-growth. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

old-growth

adjective
ˈōl(d)-ˈgrōth
: of, relating to, or being a forest characterized by the presence of large old trees, dead standing trees, and fallen rotting trees and that is usually in a late stage of development
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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