softwood

American  

[sawft-wood, soft-] / ˈsɔftˌwʊd, ˈsɒft- /

noun

1. any wood that is relatively soft or easily cut.

2. a tree yielding such a wood.

3. Forestry. a coniferous tree or its wood.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or made of softwood.

softwood British  

/ ˈsɒftˌwʊd /

noun

1. the open-grained wood of any of numerous coniferous trees, such as pine and cedar, as distinguished from that of a dicotyledonous tree

2. any tree yielding this wood

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softwood Scientific  

/ sôft′wd′ /

1. A coniferous tree, especially as distinguished from an angiosperm, or hardwood, tree.

2. The wood of a coniferous tree. Softwoods are in general softer than hardwoods. However, some softwoods, such as yew, are comparatively hard, while some hardwoods, such as basswood, are comparatively soft.

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Etymology

Origin of softwood

First recorded in 1825–35; soft + wood ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

softwood

Greer told the New York Times on Saturday that the Trump administration offered to eliminate a 10-percent tariff on softwood lumber, and reduce the 25-percent autos tariff.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

Canadian softwood imports were down 15% through May, compared with a year earlier, according to Foreign Agricultural Service data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

In addition, softwood lumber, which is key for home construction, could score relief, they said.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025

On Tuesday, Trump's new 10% tariff on softwood lumber came into effect.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025

I do not know the name of the tree, but I think it was only on one kind, one of the few softwood trees of Cuba.

From Synopsis of Some Genera of the Large Pyrenomycetes Camilla, Thamnomyces, Engleromyces by C. G. Lloyd

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Related Words

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

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