Woodland is a natural habitat with many plants and trees. Therefore, a zebra would not be considered a woodland animal, but a deer would fit the bill. You can use woodland as a noun, or as an adjective to describe things that have something to do with this particular kind of land, like woodland animals or a woodland habitat. Woodlands usually feature trees, grasses, shrubs, and other plants. If you're walking in the woods and the trees almost completely block the sunlight, you're in a forest, not a woodland. The Old English version was wudulond.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The authority's tree and woodland manager, Helen Arnold, said the policy would help take a "long-term view", supporting nature recovery and climate action.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Rescuers quickly mobilized a network of volunteers and professionals from across California, tapping about 20 agencies to assist in scouring some 60,000 acres of woodland.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
The samples contained pollen and plant waxes associated with humid West African rainforests, while very low levels of grass pollen suggested the site was surrounded by dense woodland rather than a thin strip of forest.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
Carl Rowlinson is at the forefront of a woodland restoration project in Cornwall called Plant One, and recently visited the island to learn and share ideas.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The leprechaun bears live young and lives mostly in forest and woodland areas, though it enjoys attracting Muggle attention and as a consequence features almost as heavily as the fairy in Muggle literature for children.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
