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silvan

 - 5 dictionary results

sil⋅van

[sil-vuhn]
–adjective, noun
sylvan.

sil⋅van⋅i⋅ty [sil-van-i-tee] , noun

syl⋅van

[sil-vuhn]
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or inhabiting the woods.
2. consisting of or abounding in woods or trees; wooded; woody: a shady, sylvan glade.
3. made of trees, branches, boughs, etc.
–noun
4. a person dwelling in a woodland region.
5. a mythical deity or spirit of the woods.
Also, silvan.


Origin:
1555–65; < L sylvānus, sp. var. of silvānus, equiv. to silv(a) forest + -ānus -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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sil·van   (sĭl'vən)   
adj.   & n.
Variant of sylvan.
syl·van also sil·van   (sĭl'vən)   
adj.  
  1. Relating to or characteristic of woods or forest regions.

  2. Located in or inhabiting a wood or forest.

  3. Abounding in trees; wooded.

n.  One that lives in or frequents the woods.

[Medieval Latin sylvānus, from Latin Silvānus, god of the woods, from silva, forest.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sylvan 
1565, "deity of the woods," from M.Fr. sylvain, from L. silvanus "pertaining to wood or forest" (originally only in silvanæ "goddesses of the woods"), from silva "wood, forest, grove," of unknown origin. Adj. meaning "of the woods" is attested from 1580. Silvanus was used by the Romans as the proper name of a god of woods and fields, identified with Pan. Spelling with -y- infl. by Gk. hyle "forest," from which the L. word was supposed to derive.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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