selvatico

Selvatico is an Italian adjective and, less commonly, a noun form used to signal a connection with the forest, wilderness, or untamed nature. In everyday language it describes things that are natural or not shaped by human cultivation, such as landscapes, flora, fauna, or behavior that appears rough or unsophisticated. It is often contrasted with cultivated or domesticated, as in wild versus cultivated plants or animals.

The word derives from Latin silvaticus, meaning of the woods, from silva, forest. Over time, selvatico came to denote anything pertaining to or living in the forest, and by extension to describe untamed or natural states in various contexts.

In modern usage, selvatico appears in several fields. In ecology, it refers to habitats, species, or populations that exist without direct human management, for example piante selvatiche (wild plants) and animali selvatici (wild animals). In agriculture and horticulture, it distinguishes wild or self-sown varieties from cultivated ones. In culture and literature, selvatico can evoke a sense of rugged natural beauty or primordial nature, and is sometimes used to characterize landscapes, environments, or moods.

Related forms include selvaggio and selvaggia, which can carry similar meanings with nuances of wildness or savagery, and are often paired with opposites like coltivato or domestico in descriptive phrases. See also terms related to forest and wild nature, such as silvicoltura and fauna silvestre, which reflect broader usages of the concept.