woodland

comparative more woodland · superlative most woodland

1. Of a creature or object: growing, living, or existing in a woodland.

   The woodland creatures ran from the fire.

   4 more examples

   This species [[[w:Red-bellied Woodpecker|Red-bellied Woodpecker]]] is a very little larger than the red-headed one; and it is more woodland in its manners; seldom appearing in orchards or near houses, but keeping to the tall trees in the close forests.

   1837, “Picus”, in Charles Frederick Partington (editor), The British Cyclopædia of Natural History, Volume 3, W. S. Orr & Co., page 446

   The genera Philomela and Curruca, as we previously observed, are very closely allied to each other, both are woodland in their habits, and both possess great melody of song.

   1839, Sir William Jardine, Bart., The Natural History of the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, Part II: Incessories, part of The Naturalist's Library, W.H. Lizars, page 125–6

   It was a couple of hundred years or so more before I saw a third bullfinch — which didn't surprise me, for bullfinches are very woodland birds, and non-migratory into the bargain — so that they didn’t often get blown seaward over the broad Atlantic.

   1890 July, Grant Allen, “My Islands”, in Longman's Magazine, volume 16, number 93, page 341

   As its name implies, this species Woodlark] is a more woodland bird than the other British Larks, and in many of its ways of life it resembles the Tree Pipit, frequenting the neighborhood of woods and plantations, but always affecting trees.

   1894, R. Bowdler Sharpe, A Hand-Book to the Birds of Great Britain, volume I, W. H. Allen & Co., Limited, page 91

2. obsoleteHaving the character of a woodland.

   Shortly after leaving Swindon the main line enters Wiltshire, and runs through an extremely woodland district to Chippenham[…]

   1871, George Gill, Fourth Reader, page 135

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   It is a very woodland country, with plenty of grass, but it is too large for four days a-week, and the sport is generally rather indifferent.

   1827, "Amateur", “Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, and Bedfordshire Hunting”, in Sporting Magazine, page 64

   […] understanding that their next fixture was in a very woodland country, and at a distance, I deferred this pleasure to another opportunity.

   1835, Nimrod's Hunting Tours, page 109

plural woodlands

1. alsobroadlyin pluraluncountableusuallyLand covered with woody vegetation.

   Meronym: woodlot

   5 more examples

   Here hills and vales, the woodland and the plain, / Here earth and water ſeem to ſtrive again ; / Not Chaos-like together cruſh’d and bruis’d, / But, as the world, harmoniouſly confus’d : / Where order in variety we ſee, / And where, tho’ all things differ, all agree.

   1704, Alexander Pope, “Windsor-Forest”, in The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq., volume I, London: C. Barthurst et al., published 1788, page 39

   The earth glows with the colors of 1837 civilization ; the banks of the streams are enamelled with richest grasses ; woodlands and cultivated fields are harmoniously blended ; the birds of spring find their delight in orchards and trim gardens, variegated with choicest plants from every temperate zone ; while the brilliant flowers of the tropics bloom from the windows of the green-house and the saloon.

   1838, George Bancroft, chapter XV, in History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent, volume II, Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown

   Much as one appreciates the beauty of these woodlands, it was good to learn that some discreet tree-felling may open up the view still further.

   1958 July 28, R. K. Kirkland, “Into the Mountains on the Festiniog Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 453

   Buried within the Mediterranean littoral are some seventy to ninety million tons of slag from ancient smelting, about a third of it concentrated in Iberia. This ceaseless industrial fueling caused the deforestation of an estimated fifty to seventy million acres of woodlands.

   2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion

   The project has been subject to vocal criticism from a few loud voices complaining about its effect on ancient woodlands. One campaigner, Chris Packham, took his case to the High Court, where he comprehensively lost in early April - not least on the grounds that Parliament had authorised the works he was complaining about. DfT's business case notes: "There are [around] 52,000 ancient woodland sites in England. Of these, a total of 43 will be affected by HS2's route between London and Crewe (Phases 1 and 2a). Over 80% of the total area of these 43 will remain intact and untouched by HS2."

   2020 May 6, Philip Haigh, “Just one more stop on the long journey to HS2 fulfillment [sic]”, in Rail, page 65

   Synonyms: forest, holt, timberland, weald, wold, wood, woods

   1. alsobroadlyin pluraluncountableusuallystrictlyA low-density forest.

      Near-synonym: grove

      Synonyms: forest, holt, timberland, weald, wold, wood, woods, grove

plural Woodlands

1. A surname.

1. A village in County Durham, England (OS grid ref NZ0726).
2. A hamlet in Kirkby Ireleth parish, Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England, previously in South Lakeland district (OS grid ref SD2489).
3. A hamlet in Teignbridge district, Devon, England (OS grid ref SX7968).
4. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A small town in Randolph County, Alabama.
   2. A city, the county seat of Yolo County, California.

      A family-owned pharmacy in Woodland was vandalized earlier Sunday morning in a potential hate crime.

      2026 August 16, Kayla Moeller, “Woodland family-owned pharmacy vandalized in potential hate crime”, in CBS News, archived from the original on 21 Aug 2026

      1 more example

      In Yolo County, safe and sane fireworks are allowed in West Sacramento, Woodland, and Winters but are strictly prohibited in unincorporated areas.

      2026 June 28, Jeremiah Martinez, “Northern California communities that allow, prohibit use of fireworks”, in KCRA

   3. A small city in Talbot County, Georgia.
   4. A village in Iroquois County, Illinois.
   5. An unincorporated community in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
   6. A town in Aroostook County, Maine.
   7. A census-designated place in Washington County, Maine, across the river from Canada.
   8. A census-designated place in Allegany County, Maryland.
   9. A village and township in Barry County, Michigan.
   10. A minor city in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
   11. A township in Wright County, Minnesota.
   12. A village in Chickasaw County, Mississippi.
   13. An unincorporated community in Marion County, Missouri.
   14. A township in Burlington County, New Jersey.
   15. A town in Northampton County, North Carolina.
   16. An unincorporated community in Union County, Ohio.
   17. A census-designated place in Summit County, Utah.
   18. A city in Clark County and Cowlitz County, Washington.
   19. Former name of Lacey, Thurston County, Washington.
   20. A town in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
   21. An unincorporated community in Dodge County, Wisconsin.