badlands
|bad-lands|
/ˈbædˌlændz/
barren, eroded land
Etymology
'badlands' originates from Lakota, specifically the phrase 'mako sica', where 'mako' meant 'land' and 'sica' meant 'bad'.
'badlands' came into English usage in the 19th century as explorers and settlers translated Native American place names (and sometimes French phrases like 'les mauvaises terres') describing harsh, eroded country; it entered English to name such regions in North America and as a general term for similar terrain.
Initially it meant 'land that is bad to travel through' or 'bad country' (a literal description of difficult terrain); over time it came to denote the specific eroded, barren landscape type and also acquired figurative senses of a dangerous or lawless area.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a dry, heavily eroded area of soft sedimentary rock with steep slopes, little vegetation, and a rugged, barren appearance; a landscape type characterized by badland topography.
We hiked through the badlands and admired the strange, sculpted rock formations.
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Noun 2
figuratively, an area or situation that is dangerous, lawless, or difficult to navigate (often used about a social or political environment).
After the factory closures, parts of the town turned into the badlands for local businesses.
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Last updated: 2025/12/30 07:46