softwood

== English == === Etymology === From soft +‎ wood. The term refers to the seed coat, or absence thereof, of the tree's seeds; it does not refer to the degree of softness or 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. === Noun === softwood (countable and uncountable, plural softwoods) (uncountable, chiefly botany) The wood from any gymnosperm, without regard to its softness. Coordinate term: hardwood (countable, in more general use) Wood of this kind, but limited to those that are commercial timbers. Coordinate term: hardwood (countable, forestry) The tree or tree species that yields this wood. Coordinate term: hardwood (uncountable) Any commercial timber. ==== Translations ==== === See also ===