What does windthrow mean?
Windthrow is a noun for a tree that has been uprooted, broken, or blown down by the wind, and by extension for the damage caused when wind throws trees over. It is especially associated with forestry, woodland management, and storm-damage reports, and is more common in British English than in general American usage. The word combines the familiar elements “wind” and “throw,” giving it a direct, physical quality: something has been thrown down by the wind. In discussions of storms, forest resilience, or timber salvage, “windthrow” can refer both to individual fallen trees and to the wider phenomenon or resulting damage. Although “windfall” may seem similar, it more often describes fruit or other objects dropped by the wind. Windthrow is therefore a precise term when the important issue is the uprooting or downing of trees themselves.
nounIn forestry, a tree that has been uprooted, broken, or blown down by the wind. The term can also refer to the resulting damage or to the action of wind causing trees to fall.
- A tree that has been uprooted, broken, or blown down by the wind.
- The damage or disturbance caused when wind throws down trees.
"The storm left a trail of windthrow across the hillside."
"The storm left a trail of windthrow across the hillside."
"Foresters spent the winter clearing the windthrow and assessing damage to the remaining trees."
The plural is used when referring to multiple trees brought down by wind or to separate instances of storm damage.
"Several windthrows blocked the forest road."
A windthrow is a tree turned over by wind—and a reminder that strength is not always the same as resilience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of windthrow
Windthrow is an English compound formed from “wind” and “throw,” using “throw” in the sense of knocking down or overturning. The compound developed as a forestry term for trees brought down by wind and for the resulting damage. Its wording reflects the common English idea of wind as an active force that throws or overturns trees.
How windthrow is actually used
This is primarily a forestry and environmental-science term. It is especially associated with British English but is also used in American forestry, where it is more specialized than the broader term “wind damage.”
Easily confused with windthrow
A windthrow is a tree that has been uprooted or blown down by wind, whereas a windfall usually refers to fruit or another object dropped by the wind.