Slash-and-Burn
/ˌslæʃ ən ˈbɜːrn/noun
An agricultural method in which vegetation is cut down and burned to clear and fertilize land for cultivation.
Did you know?Although often portrayed as simple devastation, traditional slash-and-burn cultivation can be sustainable when populations are low and fallow periods allow forests and soil to recover.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“To burn or shine; the ancient root behind the burn family of words.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brinnaną
“To burn, blaze, or be consumed by fire.”
Old English
Old English
byrnan / beornan
“To burn; to be on fire.”
Middle English
Middle English
slashen
“To cut or strike with a sweeping blow; the source of modern slash.”
16th–17th Century
English
slash; burn
“Slash meant to cut heavily or clear vegetation, while burn retained its fire-related meaning.”
20th Century
English
slash-and-burn
“A compound describing land cleared by cutting vegetation and burning it before cultivation.”