Word
plywood
Phoneticsply·wood, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɫaɪˌwʊd/
UK/plˈaɪwʊd/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a strong board made by gluing several thin layers of wood together. It is very common in building and making furniture because it does not break or bend easily.
n. a structural material manufactured from thin layers or 'plies' of wood veneer glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another.
Examples
“He used a sheet of plywood to fix the floor.”
“The construction crew boarded up the broken windows with thick plywood to protect the shop from the storm.”
“Engineers often specify marine-grade plywood for boat hulls because the cross-grained layers provide exceptional dimensional stability and resistance to splitting under high moisture conditions.”
Examples
simple
“He used a sheet of plywood to fix the floor.”
contextual
“The construction crew boarded up the broken windows with thick plywood to protect the shop from the storm.”
complex
“Engineers often specify marine-grade plywood for boat hulls because the cross-grained layers provide exceptional dimensional stability and resistance to splitting under high moisture conditions.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the material; can be countable when referring to specific sheets or types ('a piece of plywood', 'various plywoods').
Real-World Examples
“Challis, who had less than a year's experience with the defence force, was shot in the head and knee while he stood behind a plywood wall during an urban attack exercise.” Etymology
From ply (“sheet”) + wood.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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