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softwood

[sawft-woo d, soft-]
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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.

RELATED WORDS

sapling, shrub, wood, forest, timber, seedling, woods, pulp, stock, hardwood, topiary

Origin of softwood

First recorded in 1825–35; soft + wood1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for softwood

Historical Examples of softwood

  • Its range is more restricted than that of any other American softwood.

    American Forest Trees

    Henry H. Gibson

  • The medullary rays are numerous, and for a softwood they are prominent.

    American Forest Trees

    Henry H. Gibson

  • Some which are classed as hardwoods are softer than some in the softwood list.

    American Forest Trees

    Henry H. Gibson

  • Longleaf pine is as widely used as any softwood in this country.

    American Forest Trees

    Henry H. Gibson

  • Softwood or greenwood Cuttings are always rooted under cover; that is, in a greenhouse, coldframe or dwelling house.

British Dictionary definitions for softwood

softwood

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
Science 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.