Hardwood Meaning
/ˈhɑɹdˌwʊd/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe wood from any dicotyledonous tree, without regard to its hardness.
noun(in more general use) As the preceding, but limited to those that are commercial timbers, and are at least average in hardness.
Sentence Examples
I prefer hardwood floors to carpet.
In woodworking, we classify wood as hardwood, softwood or exotic wood.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The carpenter used ____ from oak trees to build the durable table.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The house features beautiful ____ floors that add a warm and elegant touch to every room.
Word Origin & History
From hard + wood. The term refers to the seed coat of the tree's seeds; it does not refer to the degree of hardness of the tree's wood, but it seems to do so and is usually assumed to do so by speakers not well informed about trees and timber.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered. […] The Maria had a cabin, which was finished in hard wood and yellow plush, and accommodations for keeping things cold."
— 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The carpenter used ____ from oak trees to build the durable table.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The house features beautiful ____ floors that add a warm and elegant touch to every room.