/wil"deuhr nis/ , n.
1. a wild and uncultivated region, as of forest or desert, uninhabited or inhabited only by wild animals; a tract of wasteland.
2. a tract of land officially designated as such and protected by the U.S. government.
3. any desolate tract, as of open sea.
4. a part of a garden set apart for plants growing with unchecked luxuriance.
5. a bewildering mass or collection.
[ 1150-1200; ME; OE * wil ( d ) deornes, equiv. to either wil ( d ) deor wild beast (see WILD, DEER) + -nes -NESS, or wilddeoren wild, savage ( wilddeor + -en -EN 2 ) + ( -n ) es -NESS; prob. reinforced by ME wildernes, gen. of wildern wilderness (n. use of OE wilddeoren ), in phrases like wildernes land land of wilderness ]
Syn. 1. See desert 1 .