disafforestation

From post-classical Latin disafforestatio (13th cent.), from the participial stem of Latin disafforestare.

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

disafforestation (countable and uncountable, plural disafforestations)

1. (law, now historical) The change in the legal status of an area from forest to that of normal land, entailing the loss of forest laws.
   • 1972, Christopher Hill, The World Turned Upside Down, Folio Society, published 2016, page 37:

     Disafforestation and enclosure could thus be regarded as a national duty, a kindness in disguise to the idle poor, as well as of more immediate benefit to the rich encloser.

2. (now rare) Deforestation.

• disafforestment