land that is covered with trees and shrubs
"The hikers trekked through the dense woodland to reach the hidden clearing."
Land covered with woody vegetation.
"The hikers entered the dense woodland, where tall trees and thick underbrush completely obscured the forest floor."
In plain English: A woodland is an area covered with many trees but not so thick that you can't see through it easily.
"The children played tag through the dense woodland behind their school."
Of a creature or object: growing, living, or existing in a woodland.
"The shy fox is a creature well adapted to life in the dense woodland."
In plain English: Woodland describes an area covered with many trees and bushes where not every spot is open space.
"The woodland path was covered in fallen leaves during autumn."
Usage: Use the adjective form to describe creatures or objects that live within an area of trees rather than open forest. This term specifically implies a habitat dominated by scattered woodlands instead of dense timber stands found in "forest."
A surname.
"The genealogist traced Mr. Woodland's family tree back three centuries."
Woodland comes from the Old English words wudu (meaning wood) and land, combining to describe a forest or wooded area. The term entered Middle English as wodeland before eventually becoming the modern word we use today.