suede

1 of 2

noun

ˈswād 

variants or less commonly suède

1

: leather with a napped surface

2

: a fabric finished with a nap to simulate suede

suede

2 of 2

verb

sueded; sueding

transitive verb

: to give a suede finish or nap to (a fabric or leather)

intransitive verb

: to give cloth or leather a suede finish

Examples of suede in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Both pairs are predominantly white with soft suede accents in gray on the Apollo Gold makeup and cream on the Shadow Red style. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 28 May 2026

The suede upper gives them a more elevated look while the flexible sole keeps them comfortable enough for everyday wear. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2026

As opposed to smooth leather uppers, these feature richer-looking design elements, like suede uppers, gold detailing, and translucent gum soles. —Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 24 May 2026

So many retailers are currently offering up to 70% off summer trends (like colorful sneakers and satin pants) and wardrobe essentials (like suede sandals and wide-leg jeans) alike. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 22 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French gants de Suède Swedish gloves

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for suede

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• braid
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade

Kids Definition

suede

noun

variants also suède

ˈswād

1

: leather rubbed on one side to produce a velvety surface

2

: a cloth fabric that looks and feels like suede

Etymology

Noun

from French gants de Suède "Swedish gloves," from Suède "Sweden"