1570s, "small wood grown for purposes of periodic cutting," contraction of coppice.
Entries linking to copse
coppice n.
late 14c., coppes, "small thicket of trees and brushes grown for periodic cutting for fuel," from Old French copeiz, coupeiz "a cut-over forest," from Vulgar Latin *colpaticium "having been cut," ultimately from Latin colaphus "a blow with the fist," from Greek kolaphos "blow, cuff" (see coup).