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

The heel and toe box of each shoe were adorned with light gray suede, a unique textural element. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026

The first lady wore a bright-red Dior pencil skirt with a sky-blue oversized shirt by Michael Kors and Manolo suede pumps, according to a White House pool report. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026

These Sam Edelman sneakers put a retro spin on the classic low-profile sneaker, complete with suede detailing and a gum sole that give them a little more visual interest than a basic white pair. — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026

It’s made from Italian calf suede and is soft, slouchy, and very spacious. — Anna Traver, InStyle, 20 Aug. 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"