Backwood

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbækˌwʊd/

Definitions

1. A secluded rural region distinguished by thick woods or wilderness
2. A distant area in the countryside characterized by dense forests and limited development
3. A sparsely populated region dominated by wilderness and wooded landscapes

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "back" in the sense of a place remote from centres of population, joined to "wood" in the sense of a forest or wooded area. Its closest relative is "backwater," which works the same way, using "back" to mean a place set away from the main flow of things. A backwood is literally the wood at the back, beyond the cleared land and settled farms, where the land runs out into trees and few people go.

Synonyms: backcountry, wilderness, remote area

Antonyms: urban, metropolitan