1
: animal skin dressed for use
2
: the flap of the ear of a dog see dog illustration
3
: something wholly or partly made of leather
leather
adjective
leathered; leathering
ˈle-t͟hə-riŋ 
ˈlet͟h-riŋ
Synonyms
Examples of leather in a Sentence
Noun
the company claims to use only the finest leathers for its shoes and handbags
this jacket was made from real leather
Verb
an expert rider will find almost no reason to leather a horse
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2023
Our Platinum test vehicle wore soft leather on the seats, door panels, and armrests, as well as a band of dark teak-wood trim.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
Rendered in two variations—one in rose gold with a rich brown calfskin leather strap and one in stainless steel with a sleek black calfskin leather strap—the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche merges elements from both the watch and the car to great effect.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2023
To add a bit of dimension to the ensemble, Jenna used a wide leather belt around her waist and wore patent pointed stiletto heels.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023
There’s loose gauge knits that look lifted from ’90s grunge, and lace-up leather trousers that channel ’60s rock stars (think Jim Morrison).
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
Other stand out pieces within the collection include a button-down with strong collars and cuffs, a long black leather trench coat, and a long black leather skirt.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
The remote control seat has five different heat and massage options, a side pocket for storage, and a full recline option that will make this faux leather chair your favorite seat in the house.
—Lauren Wellbank, Woman's Day, 8 Sep. 2023
Warm weather weddings allow for loafers, mules, and other leather slip-on shoes.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Laura Jackson, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2022
Shinola attaches to the seat of its Runwell bicycle; and even leather with Shinola’s trademark whiskey scent.
—Dale Buss, Forbes, 1 Sep. 2021
Puddle pants come in all sorts of materials, from denim to leather to trousers and, of course, loungewear-ready fabrics like cashmere and Pima cotton.
—Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2021
Apple's MagSafe system helps snap the iPhone 12 models right into place on their wireless charging docks, and also enables a whole new series of accessories that can easily snap on, from silicone cases to leather wallets.
—Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 13 Oct. 2020
The gourmet kitchen is designed around gorgeous counters of leathered quartzite and Caesarstone with an additional walnut butcher block.
—Monica Lander, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2019
From the mahogany deck in back, enter into a stunning kitchen with a dining nook, painted hardwood floors, leathered granite counters, and a six-burner range with a double oven.
—Jon Gorey, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2019
Following this, against Norwich, he was composed and clinic when finding space in the box leathering home his second goal for the club.
—SI.com, 8 Sep. 2019
Behind the scenes, a trainer is waving his electric cattle prod or leather whip to make clear what will happen if the animals fail to obey.
—Frans De Waal, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2019
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Noun
The Courser Unos' leather uppers also feature perforations for added breathability, and welded stitching that has been precisely executed to achieve the sneakers' polished and perfect look while also increasing their durability.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2023
Our Platinum test vehicle wore soft leather on the seats, door panels, and armrests, as well as a band of dark teak-wood trim.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
Rendered in two variations—one in rose gold with a rich brown calfskin leather strap and one in stainless steel with a sleek black calfskin leather strap—the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche merges elements from both the watch and the car to great effect.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2023
To add a bit of dimension to the ensemble, Jenna used a wide leather belt around her waist and wore patent pointed stiletto heels.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023
There’s loose gauge knits that look lifted from ’90s grunge, and lace-up leather trousers that channel ’60s rock stars (think Jim Morrison).
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
Other stand out pieces within the collection include a button-down with strong collars and cuffs, a long black leather trench coat, and a long black leather skirt.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
The remote control seat has five different heat and massage options, a side pocket for storage, and a full recline option that will make this faux leather chair your favorite seat in the house.
—Lauren Wellbank, Woman's Day, 8 Sep. 2023
Warm weather weddings allow for loafers, mules, and other leather slip-on shoes.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Verb
Look to leather knee-high pairs from Jimmy Choo, Isabel Marant, Khaite, and & Other Stories for a similar version of the model-off-duty style.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2022
Shinola attaches to the seat of its Runwell bicycle; and even leather with Shinola’s trademark whiskey scent.
—Dale Buss, Forbes, 1 Sep. 2021
Puddle pants come in all sorts of materials, from denim to leather to trousers and, of course, loungewear-ready fabrics like cashmere and Pima cotton.
—Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2021
Apple's MagSafe system helps snap the iPhone 12 models right into place on their wireless charging docks, and also enables a whole new series of accessories that can easily snap on, from silicone cases to leather wallets.
—Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 13 Oct. 2020
The gourmet kitchen is designed around gorgeous counters of leathered quartzite and Caesarstone with an additional walnut butcher block.
—Monica Lander, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2019
From the mahogany deck in back, enter into a stunning kitchen with a dining nook, painted hardwood floors, leathered granite counters, and a six-burner range with a double oven.
—Jon Gorey, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2019
Following this, against Norwich, he was composed and clinic when finding space in the box leathering home his second goal for the club.
—SI.com, 8 Sep. 2019
Behind the scenes, a trainer is waving his electric cattle prod or leather whip to make clear what will happen if the animals fail to obey.
—Frans De Waal, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2019
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leather.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English lether, from Old English lether-; akin to Old High German leder leather, Old Irish lethar
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of leather was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing leather
Dictionary Entries Near leather
Cite this Entry
“Leather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leather. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
leather
noun
leath·er
ˈlet͟h-ər
1
: animal skin prepared for use
2
: something entirely or partly made of leather
More from Merriam-Webster on leather
Nglish: Translation of leather for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of leather for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leather
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