Main Entry: ¹vel·vet

Pronunciation: \ˈvel-vət\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English veluet, velvet, from Anglo-French, from velu shaggy, soft, velvety, from Vulgar Latin *villutus, from Latin villus shaggy hair; akin to Latin vellus fleece — more at wool

Date: 14th century

1 : a clothing and upholstery fabric (as of silk, rayon, or wool) characterized by a short soft dense warp pile
2 a : something suggesting velvet b : a characteristic (as softness or smoothness) of velvet
3 : the soft vascular skin that envelops and nourishes the developing antlers of deer
4 a : the winnings of a player in a gambling game b : a profit or gain beyond ordinary expectation

— vel·vet·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective