forest floor

noun

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

Examples of forest floor in a Sentence

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This species spends most of its time coiled around tree branches more than 30 meters (100 feet) high, descending during the night to prey on birds, small mammals, frogs, and other reptiles on the forest floor. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026 Spritz it in the morning and prepare for subtle, spa-like wafts of forest floor throughout the day. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026 Pine trees coat the forest floor with mounds of flammable dead leaves that are springy underfoot but which can smolder long after a blaze. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 The first story was set in the 1980s while the second volume, recently wrapped, was set in the 1990s, at the dawn of the Internet age and culminated with a shocking finale that left readers’ jaws on the forest floor. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026 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

Rhymes for forest floor

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Browse Nearby Words

forest fire
forest floor
forest fly
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Cite this Entry

“Forest floor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forest%20floor. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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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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