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heathland

heathland

8.6
Open land with low bushes like heather and poor sandy soil
  • noun
  • /ˈhiːθ.lənd/
translation icon : brezal
  • MAP: As vast areas of southwestern Australia were converted from heathland to wheat farms, galahs extended their range by some 54,000 square miles.

Examples

  • Walking through the heathland, we admired the vibrant purple heather blooming all around us.

  • As fertilizers, railways, and big tractors became available, the heathland was easily cleared.

    Academic text (1991)
  • You'll find rare fauna, heathland birds, and even the New Forest cicada waiting for you to feast your eyes on.

    Blog text (25)
  • Conversion of species-rich heathlands to species-poor grasslands and forest.

    Academic text (2000)
  • On upper slopes, ericaceous heathlands and stands of the tropical conifer Podocarpus milanjianus call temperate-zone habitats to mind.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The heathland is home to unique plant species that thrive in low-nutrient soil.

  • The conservation team worked hard to preserve the heathland, ensuring that its delicate ecosystem remained intact.

Synonyms

moor
vsheathland
  • UK
17 5.8

An open area of wild land with low plants like heather and moss

is similar in vegetation but usually occurs on lower sandy poor ground
heath
vsheathland
  • UK
3 7.2

An open area of land with low shrubs and coarse grass on sandy soil

is the longer term but means the same sandy, low shrub landscape
moorland
vsheathland
  • UK
2 7.4

Open wild land that has wet, dark soil and low plants like heather

describes similar open land but with sandy poor soil instead of peat
scrubland
vsheathland
1 6.6

An area of land covered with short bushes and grasses that is hard to farm

focuses instead on sandy poor soil and specific heather vegetation rather than generic shrubs
shrubland
vsheathland
  • Specialized
4.6

An area covered mostly with low bushes and small woody plants

is a specific uncultivated sandy landscape with characteristic heather plants rather than any shrub mix

Surface Forms

heathland singular
heathlands plural

Morphology

heathland = heath + land (transparent) = heath + land

Meaning is directly derived from 'heath' + 'land': land characterized by heath vegetation.

Etymology

The word heathland comes from the parts heath and land, where heath means 'open uncultivated land' and is the same root as heather, the low shrub that grows there. So, heathland is land with poor soil covered in low plants like heather, which explains its today meaning.