hardwood

1. The wood from any dicotyledonous tree, without regard to its hardness. (countable) · Balsa is a hardwood, but a soft hardwood.
2. (in more general use) As the preceding, but limited to those that are commercial timbers, and are at least average in hardness. (countable) · Ash, hickory and oak are some of the most prominent domestic hardwoods.
3. The tree or tree species that yields the preceding. (countable) · This hardwood has been planted extensively throughout the hills here.
4. A joint term for the commercial timbers, without distinguishing which. (uncountable) · You should have used hardwood for this window sill instead of this junk.
5. The sport of basketball, in particular, an indoor basketball court; so named because the floor of an indoor basketball court is normally made of hardwood. (countable, slang, uncountable)

Plural hardwoods