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

Ratajkowski went full throttle on seasonal fashion staples, her espresso brown straight-legged corduroy trousers pooling around her sandy suede Ugg boots. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

The outerwear pick has a slightly oversized fit that’ll pair perfectly with chunky sweaters, plus it’s made from a gorgeous faux-suede material. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026

Priced at $1,170, the New Balance x Miu Miu 530 SL délavé suede ballerinas are offered in white deco leather and cinnamon suede colorways. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026

These Ugg clogs work as slippers or house shoes, but their minimalist suede silhouette can also pair well with jeans or trousers. — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 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"