How to pronounce hardwood
Say it like HARD-wuud. Hardwood has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hardwood. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HARD
- wuud
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hardwood pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- wuudGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of hardwood
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHD-wuud.
What does hardwood mean?
- The wood from any dicotyledonous tree, without regard to its hardness.“Balsa is a hardwood, but a soft hardwood.”
- (in more general use) As the preceding, but limited to those that are commercial timbers, and are at least average in hardness.“Ash, hickory and oak are some of the most prominent domestic hardwoods.”
- The tree or tree species that yields the preceding.“This hardwood has been planted extensively throughout the hills here.”
- Made of interlocking hardwood boards.
Where does hardwood come from?
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.
Questions about saying hardwood
How do you pronounce hardwood?
Say HARD-wuud. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrdˌwʊd/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːdˌwʊd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hardwood?
Hardwood has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD). Broken into parts: HARD · wuud.
Is hardwood pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈhɑːdˌwʊd/ (HAHD-wuud).