Dictionary.com

softwood

[ sawft-wood, soft- ]
/ ˈsɔftˌwʊd, ˈsɒft- /
Save This Word!

noun
any wood that is relatively soft or easily cut.
a tree yielding such a wood.
Forestry. a coniferous tree or its wood.
adjective
of, relating to, or made of softwood.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of softwood

First recorded in 1825–35; soft + wood1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use softwood in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for softwood

softwood
/ (ˈsɒftˌwʊd) /

noun
the open-grained wood of any of numerous coniferous trees, such as pine and cedar, as distinguished from that of a dicotyledonous tree
any tree yielding this wood
Compare hardwood
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

Scientific definitions for softwood

softwood
[ sôft′wud′ ]

A coniferous tree, especially as distinguished from an angiosperm, or hardwood, tree.
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
FEEDBACK