hardwood

American  

[hahrd-wood] / ˈhɑrdˌwʊd /

noun

1. the hard, hard, compact wood or timber of various trees, as the oak, cherry, maple, or mahogany.

2. a tree yielding such wood.

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adjective

1. made or constructed of hardwood.

   a hardwood floor.

hardwood British  

/ ˈhɑːdˌwʊd /

noun

1. the wood of any of numerous broad-leaved dicotyledonous trees, such as oak, beech, ash, etc, as distinguished from the wood of a conifer

2. any tree from which this wood is obtained

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hardwood Scientific  

/ härd′wd′ /

1. A eudicot or magnoliid tree, especially as distinguished from a coniferous, or softwood, tree.

2. The wood of a eudicot or magnoliid tree. Hardwoods are in general harder than softwood. However, some hardwoods, such as basswood, are comparatively soft, while some softwoods, such as yew, are comparatively hard.

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Etymology

Origin of hardwood

First recorded in 1560–70; hard + wood ¹

Example Sentences

We have a lot of hardwood scraps from our larger tables, and we’re going to use all these cool little pieces.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Just two years ago, they were among the worst teams ever to set foot on the hardwood, an abject disaster that once lost 28 games in a row.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

It starts with a fast-growing undisclosed African hardwood which is heat-treated and then further processed, including with resin impregnation.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

I have already invested about $20,000 into the house, including putting on a new roof and refinishing the existing hardwood floors.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

The sun beamed in through the dining room window, lighting up the hardwood floor.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

Related Words

• forest
• sapling
• seedling
• shrub
• timber
• wood