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.
The River Caqueta snakes nearly 1,800 miles into the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026 The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, plays a critical role in regulating the global climate. ABC News, 27 May 2026 Costa Rica Costa Rica’s rainforests offer varied bird-watching experiences. Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 May 2026 Around three-quarters of the falls can be viewed from Zimbabwe’s rainforest paths and viewpoints. Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 Resins from African rainforests were likely traded alongside other commodities from sub-Saharan Africa via the Red Sea from at least the first century BC, noted the researchers. Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 22 May 2026 The story starts in the Amazon rainforest. Jeff Guo, NPR, 22 May 2026 These billowing grasslands, rising up to heights of 10 feet, were once the largest continuous ecosystem on the continent, with more biodiversity than any place in the world aside from the Amazon rainforest. Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026 As covert wars collide across Tehran and the rainforests of Africa, every move risks igniting a global firestorm. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainforest was in 1900

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rainforest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainforest. Accessed 28 May. 2026.

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

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