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

Rowan Bucket Bag Nothing says autumnal fashion like suede, and this bag is the perfect companion for any fall festivities. —Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025

Target has every jacket on my wish list, including denim picks, trendy faux suede options, and classic trench coats that’ll keep me comfortable well into fall and winter. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025

Meanwhile, the right shoe starts with a black pigskin suede base and mixes in blurred and distorted details to represent the pixelated side. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025

Brown suede and burgundy takes feel most relevant for fall, as offered by Gucci, Coach, and Khaite, while black leather is a forever classic option from Liffner and Flattered. —Kerry Pieri, Vogue, 28 Oct. 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"