friche

related to fresh, fresh, this word could have been used for newly conquered lands. It is traced back to Middle Dutch versch/virsch (fresh, new) which, used with the word lant ('land'), designates land that has been reclaimed from the sea by dyking. Ducange proposed the Germanic etymon frisch; indeed, Latin has novale ('cleared land') from novus and novalis in the sense of 'left fallow for a year'.