'unwooded' originates from Modern English, formed by the prefix 'un-' (ultimately from Old English 'un-') meaning 'not' and the adjective 'wooded' (from 'wood' + suffix '-ed').

'wood' comes from Old English 'wudu' meaning 'wood, forest'; 'wooded' developed in Middle English as an adjective meaning 'having woods', and 'unwooded' was formed in Modern English by adding the negative prefix 'un-' to that adjective.

Initially it meant 'not wooded' (literally lacking woods), and over time it has retained that core meaning of 'treeless' or 'not covered by trees'.