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

Harrier and Howell's vanity hits all the right notes—it's finished in high-gloss ivory lacquer, and the mirror is wrapped in a beautiful neutral suede. —Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 23 Apr. 2026

While the blend of leather and suede gives these sneakers a polished feel, the white stripes add a subtle touch of sportiness. —Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026

Andie MacDowell just proved that suede pants aren’t just for fall and winter anymore. —Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

The young men present were dressed in utilitarian T-shirt and jean combos; the women wore tweed blazers, Moncler puffers, leather jackets, and multicolored suede Adidas sneakers. —Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 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"