forest floor

noun

: the richly organic layer of soil and debris characteristic of forested land

Examples of forest floor 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.
Branches bend with the weight of their seeds, and forest floors vanish beneath a carpet of acorns. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025 Ephemerals are most common in the rich soil of forest floors. Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025 The sultry sweetness of jasmine and freesia mix with airy peony and powdery violet, while cedar moss, oakmoss, and musk bring in a dash of forest floor. Jenny Berg, Allure, 25 Mar. 2025 What daytime visitors miss is a seasonal after-hours spectacle in the form of hundreds of glowing fireflies rising from the forest floor and illuminating to attract mates. Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forest floor

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forest floor was in 1849

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Cite this Entry

“Forest floor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forest%20floor. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

forest floor

noun
: the upper layer of mixed soil and decayed or decaying organic material typical of forested land
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