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silken

adjective
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silk·​en | \ ˈsil-kən How to pronounce silken (audio) \

Definition of silken

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
3a : 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
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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 Rather than the classic beige, opt for chic, silken version—and wear it as a dress. — The Editors, Town & Country, "How to Style a Classic Trench Coat for Any Occasion," 30 Dec. 2020 The combination of internal-combustion engine and electric motor results in a silken ride of torque. — John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, "2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 Goes Shiny and Chrome," 2 Dec. 2020 Many skilled actors have tried, including Alain Delon and John Malkovich in 1960 and 2002, respectively, playing the character in a more silken vein than the earnest Damon, who seemed credibly working-class, neither smooth nor especially clever. — Megan O’grady, New York Times, "How ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ Foretold Our Era of Grifting," 12 Nov. 2020 In the baked brie, the apple tartness slices through the silken fasttiness of the cheese. — Paul Stephen, ExpressNews.com, "Fall apple crop stars in dishes with chicken, with potatoes in gratin, with sweet potato in soup, in Lidia Bastianich’s celery root salad and more," 28 Oct. 2020 Soft silken fabrics feature illustrations of blond manga characters bound in shibari knots, drawn by the artist Migo, whom Collins discovered on Instagram. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Petra Collins Launches Her First Fashion Collection: I’m Sorry," 9 Sep. 2020 These caterpillars set up homes in silken tunnels built in the thatch of the grass. — David Taylor, Houston Chronicle, "Northwest Houston area residents dealing with pesky sod webworms—again," 22 Aug. 2020 Brown lacewing eggs are not on silken stalks but are instead attached to surfaces. — Howard Garrett, Dallas News, "Desirable but delicate, lacewings are your garden’s friend," 3 Aug. 2020 At a party, hosted by the wife of the dean, Shirley pours red wine on a silken couch and watches—or imagines—her protégée quietly dropping sandwiches on the rug. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, "“Shirley” Takes a One-Sided View of Its Subject," 29 May 2020

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

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First Known Use of silken

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

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Time Traveler for silken

Time Traveler

The first known use of silken was before the 12th century

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Statistics for silken

Last Updated

17 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Silken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silken. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for silken

silken

adjective
How to pronounce silken (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of silken

: made of silk or a cloth that is like silk
: smooth, soft, and shiny like silk
of food : smooth, soft, and rich

See the full definition for silken in the English Language Learners Dictionary

silken

adjective
silk·​en | \ ˈsil-kən How to pronounce silken (audio) \

Kids Definition of silken

1 : made of or with silk a silken scarf
2 : having a soft and smooth look or feel silken hair

More from Merriam-Webster on silken

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for silken

Nglish: Translation of silken for Spanish Speakers

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