'deforestable' originates from the combination of the prefix 'de-' meaning 'removal' and the root 'forest' from Latin 'foresta', meaning 'open wood'.

'deforestable' evolved from the concept of 'deforest', which was derived from the Old French 'deforester', meaning 'to clear of trees'.

Initially, it meant 'capable of being cleared of trees', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.