Where does “reforestation” come from?

Reforestation comes from English re- plus forest, which derives from Old French forest, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to turn or enclose.

reforestation (English): The act or process of replanting a forest,...

Definitions

  1. The act or process of replanting a forest,...

Ancestry of “reforestation”, step by step

reforestation traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English reforest

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishreforestTo replant a forest, especially after...
2Englishre-again, anew; a completive or intensification of...
3Middle Englishre-
4Old Frenchre-re- again; once more
5Latinrĕ-back, backwards
6Latinprōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out
7Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
8Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via French reforester

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchreforesterreforest (replant)
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós