How to pronounce softwood
Say it like SAWFT-wuud. Softwood has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAWFT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce softwood. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAWFT
- wuud
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Softwood pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAWFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- wuudGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of softwood
American and British speakers say softwood in essentially the same way: /ˈsɔftˌwʊd/ in the US and /ˈsɒftˌwʊd/ in the UK.
British respelling: SOFT-wuud.
What does softwood mean?
- The wood from any gymnosperm, without regard to its softness.
- Wood of this kind, but limited to those that are commercial timbers.
- The tree or tree species that yields this wood.“SYP is a softwood, but it is harder than many hardwoods.”
Where does softwood come from?
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 w
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying softwood
How do you pronounce softwood?
Say SAWFT-wuud. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɔftˌwʊd/. In British English it is /ˈsɒftˌwʊd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in softwood?
Softwood has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAWFT). Broken into parts: SAWFT · wuud.
Do Americans and Brits say softwood the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɔftˌwʊd/ and the British form is /ˈsɒftˌwʊd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.