softwood

[ sawft-wood, soft- ]

/ ˈsɔftˌwʊd, ˈsɒft- /

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See synonyms for softwood on Thesaurus.com

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…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of softwood

First recorded in 1825–35; soft + wood¹

Words nearby softwood

soft tree fern, software, software house, software platform, soft wheat, softwood, softy, SOGAT, Sogdian, Sogdiana, soggy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use softwood in a sentence

Thermowood, which is heat-treated Scandinavian softwood, is durable and resistant to heat, humidity, and fungi.
The best outdoor saunas for 2022|Hannah Singleton|June 8, 2022|Popular-Science
The fixed speed doesn’t give it a great deal of versatility but is fast enough for ripping through old paint or varnish and good for sanding store-bought softwoods.
The best random orbital sanders for all your smoothing projects|Bob Beacham|October 7, 2021|Popular-Science
If the sander is only used for paint removal or softwood lumber, variable speed isn’t necessary.
The best random orbital sanders for all your smoothing projects|Bob Beacham|October 7, 2021|Popular-Science
The striking structure, which will be on display until November 21, is a demonstration of their conviction that swift, sloppy softwood construction is the true essence of American architecture.
The US entry in the Venice architecture biennale shuns grandiose buildings and starchitects|Anne Quito|May 26, 2021|Quartz

Since softwood trees bear cones, they are called coniferous trees.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
Softwood or greenwood Cuttings are always rooted under cover; that is, in a greenhouse, coldframe or dwelling house.
The Practical Garden-Book|C. E. Hunn
Needleleaf, softwood, conifer, and evergreen trees are the same.
The Principal Species of Wood: Their Characteristic Properties|Charles H. (Charles Henry) Snow
It was long the only softwood seriously considered by Northern lumbermen.
The Principal Species of Wood: Their Characteristic Properties|Charles H. (Charles Henry) Snow
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.
Synopsis of Some Genera of the Large Pyrenomycetes|C. G. Lloyd

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.

softwood

Origin of softwood

Words nearby softwood

Words related to softwood

How to use softwood in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for softwood

Scientific definitions for softwood