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

Dainty gold buckles adorn the soft suede straps that will hold your feet firmly in place, and the square toe design offers room for your toes to sit comfortably without feeling squished. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025

Constructed of a mix of suede and faux leather, the taupe shoes are accented by a white S logo on the side and a lace-up front. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025

This Amazon version features the same suede leather construction, adjustable metal buckle straps, and non-slip outsole, along with a cork footbed with a deep heel cup for lightweight cushioning and arch support. —Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 11 Sep. 2025

Team with cashmere knits, and a suede tote, of course. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2025

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"