wood

The word “wood” means the hard fibrous material that makes up the trunk and branches of a tree, used for building, fuel, and countless other purposes. In plain terms, the material trees are made of, or a small area of trees — plus a few narrower uses, like a type of golf club.

“Wood” is pronounced wuud (/wʊd/ in IPA).

Here is “wood” used in a sentence: “The cabin was built entirely from local wood.”

“Wood” is a noun.

The word “wood” comes from Old English. From Old English wudu, "wood, forest, timber," from a very old Germanic root related to Dutch wede and Icelandic viður.

“Wood” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Wood” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the hard fibrous material that makes up the trunk and branches of a tree, used for building, fuel, and countless other purposes.

Wood is the general material itself, taken from the trunk and branches of trees. Timber is wood that has been cut and prepared for building, such as planks, beams, and boards ready for use, called lumber in North America. So all timber is wood, but not all wood has been processed into timber.

Wood is broadly divided into hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods come from broad-leaved trees like oak, walnut, and mahogany, and are usually denser and slower-growing. Softwoods come from conifers such as pine and spruce, and are lighter and faster-growing. The names refer to the tree type, not always the wood's actual hardness.

Yes. Because trees can be replanted and regrown, wood is considered renewable, unlike coal or oil. It only stays sustainable when forests are managed responsibly and trees are replaced as fast as they are felled. Certification schemes exist to show that timber has come from well-managed, renewable sources.