wilding

Definition

A wild apple or apple tree.

Etymology

From Middle English wilding, wylding, wyldyng (“grass, straw, or the stems of wild plants”), equivalent to wild + -ing.

Example Sentences

• "These were ‘wildings’, wild crab apples (Malus sylvestris), a miniature of today's, native to the British Isles."
• "Oft from the forrest wildings he did bring, / Whose sides empurpled were with smiling red […]"
• "Ten ruddy wildings in the wood I found."