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Synonyms

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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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.

Etymology

Origin of hardwood

First recorded in 1560–70; hard + wood 1

Vocabulary lists containing hardwood

Brown

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

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

You’ve already made some smart choices: The return on investment for refinished hardwood floors is 147%, according to Realtor.com.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

They would need a lot of interior remodeling, too: updated electrical and plumbing systems, new kitchens and bathrooms, replacement windows and hardwood flooring throughout.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

A decent woods with sturdy hardwood trees, plentiful food, game that isn’t creepy.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.