Ryddyngs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Patches of forest land that have been cleared of trees and undergrowth so they can be farmed or settled
2. Open areas carved out of woodland by felling and clearing, historically used for cultivation
3. Tracts of wooded ground that people have cleaned of timber and brush to make land available for use

Etymology: "Ryddyngs" is the plural of "ryddyng," a Middle English noun for a cleared patch in a wood, formed from the verb "ridden" or "rydden," meaning to clear land of trees and undergrowth. That verb likely descends from Old English "ryddan," from the adjective "rydd," "clear" or "free," and the surviving form "riddings" is still recorded in dialect use for such clearings.