1. areas of land cleared for cultivation by cutting and burning vegetation, typically used in slash-and-burn agriculture
Usage: agricultural term; plural of swidden

Examples

• The farmers prepared new swiddens by cutting down trees and burning the debris.
• Traditional communities often rotate their swiddens to allow soil recovery.
• The swiddens were planted with corn and beans after the ash settled.
• Satellite images showed numerous swiddens scattered across the forest.
• The practice of creating swiddens has been used for centuries in tropical regions.
• Environmental groups are concerned about the expansion of swiddens into protected areas.