Lumberjacking

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of cutting down trees and processing wood for various uses, typically involving chainsaws and axes
2. A profession dedicated to the operation of sustainable forestry practices and timber harvesting in forested areas
3. The skill of managing forest resources through tree felling and transporting logs for the logging industry

Etymology: "Lumberjacking" is simply the ongoing form of "lumberjack," so the story belongs to that base word. "Lumber" is an older English term for timber, cut or stored wood, and "jack" is a common name and general-purpose word in English, used in many compounds for workers and tools. Together they describe a man who works with cut timber, and the term is of Canadian origin, arising from the logging industry of that country. Because the word is a plain combination of two familiar parts, the most useful thing to know is that its meaning has stayed close to the literal one: felling trees and processing the wood. The "-ing" ending simply turns the noun into an activity, so "lumberjacking" names the work itself rather than the worker.