velvet

1 of 2

noun

vel·​vet ˈvel-vət 

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 (such 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

velvetlike

ˈvel-vət-ˌlīk 

adjective

velvet

2 of 2

adjective

1

: made of or covered with velvet

also : clad in velvet

2

: resembling or suggesting velvet : velvety

a velvet voice

Examples of velvet in a Sentence

Noun

She was dressed in black velvet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Even some of the most privileged attendees, however, must vie for access to certain events, often having to buy a ticket, apply to exhibit a vehicle or join a lottery to get past the velvet rope. —Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

Start with a wooden mushroom base and then cut circles from velvet fabric. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Olsen showed off her shoes for the evening — velvet ankle-strap heels — through the front slit of the dress. —Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

Topfinel Velvet Blackout Curtains To update your drapery, swap out your existing curtains for these velvet blackout options. —Brittney Morgan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English veluet, velvet, borrowed from Anglo-French velvet, from velu "shaggy, soft, velvety" (going back to early Medieval Latin villūtus, from Latin villus "shaggy growth of hair, cloth nap" + Late Latin -ūtus, adjective suffix) + -et -et entry 1; Latin villus, perhaps dialectal variant of vellus "plucked wool, fleece" — more at wool

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing velvet

• velvet ant
• velvet bean

Kids Definition

velvet

noun

vel·​vet

ˈvel-vət

1

: a fabric with short soft raised fibers

2

: the soft skin covering the developing antler of a deer

velvet adjective