silk

noun, often attributive \ ˈsilk \

Updated on: 27 Feb 2018

Definition of silk

1 : a fine continuous protein fiber produced by various insect larvae usually for cocoons; especially : a lustrous tough elastic fiber produced by silkworms and used for textiles

2 : thread, yarn, or fabric made from silk filaments

3 a : a garment of silk

b (1) : a distinctive silk gown worn by a King's or Queen's Counsel

(2) : a King's or Queen's Counsel

c silks plural : the colored cap and blouse of a jockey or harness horse driver made in the registered racing color of the employing stable

4 a : a filament resembling silk; especially : one produced by a spider

b : silky material

milkweed silk

; especially : the styles of an ear of corn

5 : parachute

—

silklike

play \ˈsilk-ˌlīk\ adjective

See silk defined for English-language learners

See silk defined for kids

Examples of silk in a Sentence

a variety of silks and satins
The robe has butterflies embroidered in silk on the sleeves.
the silk of a spider's web

Recent Examples of silk from the Web

There's Campbell's Olly, a silk-handed former Bangladesh pro, and Jacob, a corner-dwelling mucker who spent his playing days in the Virgin Islands.

— michael blinn, SI.com, "On the Bench Puts the Fun in 'Fundies' With Hockey's Worst Advice," 3 Nov. 2017
But the most important figure in the vision was Hefner himself, with his signature red-silk robe, his private jet, his legions of blondes, and his palatial mansion in Holmby Hills.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "How Hugh Hefner Commercialized Sex," 28 Sep. 2017
The purple-resin bowling ball is from Mantiques Modern and the portrait of Diane von Furstenburg on a framed silk scarf is by Andy Warhol.

— peter terzian, ELLE Decor, "House Tour: Andy Cohen Merges Three Manhattan Apartments Into An Entertaining Haven," 29 Aug. 2017
The caterpillar even helps encase the pupal cocoons with its own silk.

— author: rick sinnott, Alaska Dispatch News, "Do feral cats have special needs, or is their plight all in our heads?," 21 June 2017
Its 110,000 square feet glinted with gold leaf, Spanish tiles, Italian marble and Venetian silks.

— michael luongo, Smithsonian, "The Ironic History of Mar-a-Lago," 26 Oct. 2017
The former use materials cashmere and silk to reduce scratchiness, while the latter rely on slightly less natural means to achieve the right texture.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "Fall's Best Sweaters Are a Little Hairy," 14 Oct. 2017
To the north, the Croix-Rousse quarter, once the center of Lyon’s silk-making industry, is now a comfortable, lively neighborhood with a mix of artists, young families, millennial professionals and working class.

— bill blanning, latimes.com, "Mon Dieu! I finally learned to speak French," 8 Oct. 2017
Its success made Hefner synonymous with silk robes, pipes and extravagant parties with women in bow-ties and bunny ears.

— AJC.com, "‘Playboy’ founder Hugh Hefner dead at 91," 27 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of silk

Middle English, from Old English seolc, sioluc, probably ultimately from Greek sērikos silken — more at sericeous

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

silk

verb

Definition of silk

intransitive verb

of corn

: to develop the silk

Recent Examples of silk from the Web

Strip away silks only and grill the ears inside their husks after a 20-minute soak in cold water.

— cheryl slocum, Country Living, "Truffle Oil, Garlic, and Parmesan Grilled Corn," 14 May 2011
Harbison, Fall 2014 His collaboration with Jim Thompson, silks that today are mostly considered for interiors not clothing, is just another example of how designers are increasingly blurring the lines between decor and fashion.

— sarah bray, ELLE Decor, "Why We're Seeing Home Fabrics On The Runways," 12 May 2014
Back in the U.S., Variety held its Power of Young Hollywood party, where Zendaya, Charli XCX, Yara Shahidi, and more walked the red (well, black) carpet in everything from Swarovski crystal suits to silk pajamas.

— vanityfair.com, "Week in Fashion: Rihanna Hits Crop Over," 11 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of silk

1783

SILK Defined for English Language Learners

silk

noun

Definition of silk for English Language Learners

: a smooth, soft, and shiny cloth that is made from thread produced by silkworms; also : the thread that is used to make silk
: the thread that is produced by a spider
: the thin strings in an ear of corn

SILK Defined for Kids

silk

noun \ ˈsilk \

Definition of silk for Students

1 : a fine fiber that is spun by many insect larvae usually to form their cocoon or by spiders to make their webs and that includes some kinds used for weaving cloth

2 : thread, yarn, or fabric made from silk

3 : the threadlike strands that are found over the kernels of an ear of corn

Medical Dictionary

silk

noun \ ˈsilk \

medical Definition of silk

1 : a fine continuous protein fiber produced by various insect larvae usually for cocoons; especially : a lustrous tough elastic fiber produced by silkworms and used for textiles

2 : strands of silk thread of various thicknesses used as suture material in surgery