silken

adjective

silk·​en ˈsil-kən 

1

: made or consisting of silk

2

: resembling silk: such as

a

: soft, lustrous

b(1)

: agreeably smooth : harmonious

a silken voice

(2)

: suave, ingratiating

3

a

: dressed in silk

silken ankles

b

: having a richly luxurious quality

the same silken surroundings encountered at the restaurant's far more expensive evening meal

—Elaine Tait

Synonyms

• cottony
• downy
• satin
• satiny
• silklike
• silky
• soft
• velvetlike
• velvety

Examples of silken in a Sentence

the silken texture of the synthetic fabric

she was unaccustomed to living in such silken surroundings

Recent Examples on the Web

The silken material of his blazer pairs elegantly with the contrasting black trousers that are created to be a bit oversized. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 7 May 2024

Here, chunky golden nuggets of silken tofu are coated in corn scratch and lightly fried before being placed in a shallow pool of broth made from dashi, soy sauce and sweet mirin then topped with bonito flakes, spicy radish sprouts and ginger. —Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

silken

adjective

silk·​en ˈsil-kən 

1

: made of or with silk

2

: resembling silk especially in soft smooth feel

3

: pleasantly smooth

a silken voice