woodland

¹ American  

[wood-land, -luhnd, wood-luhnd] / ˈwʊdˌlænd, -lənd, ˈwʊd lənd /

noun

1. land covered with woods or trees.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or inhabiting the woods; sylvan.

   a woodland nymph.

Woodland ² American  

[wood-luhnd] / ˈwʊd lənd /

noun

1. a city in N central California.

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woodland British  

/ ˈwʊdlənd /

noun

1. 1. land that is mostly covered with woods or dense growths of trees and shrubs

   2. ( as modifier )

      woodland fauna

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Other Word Forms

• woodlander noun

Etymology

Origin of woodland

before 900; Old English wuduland. See wood ¹, land

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

The three sites on the Isle of Man form part of the Temperate Rainforest Restoration Programme, which looks to restore woodland areas across large swathes of the British Isles, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

This type of research can guide conservation strategies, including nestbox placement and woodland management, to better protect vulnerable chicks during key stages of development.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

The zany movie features a young environmental advocate who “hops” her consciousness into a robotic beaver and bands together with other woodland creatures to stop a planned freeway expansion through a glade.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

In 2025, NWT acquired 100 acres of ancient woodland to expand its reserve at Foxley Wood.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

There’s plenty of cover for rabbits—standing corn, hedges and banks—but no real woodland: just great, open fields of light soil with big white flintstones.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Related Words

• forest
• timberland
• wood