Thread: Wood and forest?

What is the difference between words wood and forest in English?

Size, usually. A forest is large, a wood is small.

Since 'large' and 'small' aren't absolute, however, there is plenty of room for overlap.

Originally Posted by scotcher

Size, usually. A forest is large, a wood is small.

Since 'large' and 'small' aren't absolute, however, there is plenty of room for overlap.

Remarkable. I always thought otherwise Wood is large and forest is small

Originally Posted by Ramil

Remarkable. I always thought otherwise Wood is large and forest is small

Me too.

and me

wood: the hard, fibrous substance composing most of the stem and branches of a tree or shrub, and lying beneath the bark; the xylem.

Can also mean lumber.

woods: Often, woods. (used with a singular or plural verb) a large and thick collection of growing trees; a grove or forest: They picnicked in the woods.

From dictionary.com

Scott

Remarkable. I always thought otherwise Wood is large and forest is small

Ever heard of an equitorial rainwood?

Originally Posted by fortheether

wood: the hard, fibrous substance composing most of the stem and branches of a tree or shrub, and lying beneath the bark; the xylem.

Can also mean lumber.

woods: Often, woods. (used with a singular or plural verb) a large and thick collection of growing trees; a grove or forest: They picnicked in the woods.

From dictionary.com

Scott

If you are going to quote a dictionary site, at least get it right. The actual entry is:

Wood

7. Often, woods. (used with a singular or plural verb) a large and thick collection of growing trees; a grove or forest: They picnicked in the woods.

The way you wrote it suggested that wood and woods were distinct entries, wheras in fact they fell under the same entry to show that they can be entirely synonymous.

I have a little place along the edge of my land that I call the woods. It's about 30' wide and 200' long.

In the US we don't use the word 'wood' to mean small forest, or whatever. It's 'woods' only.

About North Carolina we always say it's a forest waiting to happen - whenever then mow down the brush at the side of the road it's not long before those pesky pinetrees are poking their way up.

Down South, "woods" and "forest" are the same. Moreover, "woods" is a more common word than "forest"

hey chas.. How about all those National Forests? They ain't no woods. "woods" is smaller. The two words ain't always interchangeable.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Woods, http://main.nc.us/graham/hiking/joycekil.html

Originally Posted by chaika

hey chas.. How about all those National Forests? They ain't no woods. "woods" is smaller. The two words ain't always interchangeable.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Woods, http://main.nc.us/graham/hiking/joycekil.html

Nat'l forest is fine. I still stick with "woods" for any other ... well, woods!
In my neighborhood, they say "woods" when they refer to any heavy tree and bush combination.

In my mind "wood" is associated with coniferous or deciduous forests, while "forest" can be anything.

Originally Posted by basurero

In my mind "wood" is associated with coniferous or deciduous forests, while "forest" can be anything.

Hey... you've just described any forest there is. Woods=heavy brush +trees.

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by basurero

In my mind "wood" is associated with coniferous or deciduous forests, while "forest" can be anything.

Hey... you've just described any forest there is. Woods=heavy brush +trees.

Well, I wouldn't call a tropical rainforest a "wood".

Originally Posted by Ramil

What is the difference between words wood and forest in English?

Hey... I say woods, you say forest.... Really, it don't make no difference. Just, down South, we say "woods" (not 'wood', keep in mind)

Originally Posted by basurero

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by basurero

In my mind "wood" is associated with coniferous or deciduous forests, while "forest" can be anything.

Hey... you've just described any forest there is. Woods=heavy brush +trees.

Well, I wouldn't call a tropical rainforest a "wood".

A rain forest is a rain forest... I was talking about our 'woods"

Hey, just call it what you want... but if you ran into a word "woods", just don't be surprised, it is a word for "forest"... with some difference. I don't think they have "woods" in Russia... Russians have forest, when there is not much growth between trees. .. Woods are different... there is a brush between trees...

What are we arguing about? I call it woods, you call it forest... No problem.

I wonder if Brits use the term "woods" the same way americans do... Anybody???