: 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
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.
There are a few old-growth redwood trees, including one ancient tree 14 feet wide with a natural tunnel through its base. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025 Their main threat is loss of habitat, the living, old-growth longleaf pines. Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025 Photo by Carmen Bird Aotea (Great Barrier Island), New Zealand Also on Afar’s Where to Go in 2025 list, Aotea (Great Barrier Island) is an off-the-grid paradise of white-sand beaches and old-growth kauri forests. Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 5 Feb. 2025 Denver Given their size, bald eagle nests need a substantial tree to host them, and in the lowlands of Colorado, that’s almost exclusively old-growth cottonwoods. Jamie Siebrase, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for old-growth 

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 23 Feb. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!