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

Thanks to their cozy lining, buttery-soft suede upper, and casual-chic style, many shoppers compare these boots to Uggs, praising the under-$60 find for having a premium feel at an affordable price point. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025

Light blues have never looked more luxe and expensive than in the form of soft cashmere knits or when paired with chocolate brown suede. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2025

For the greeting, Kate wore a blue Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton coat paired with a navy dress by Burberry, suede boots, and a hat by Juliette Botterill. —Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 3 Dec. 2025

Red heels have been everywhere this season, from Sydney Sweeney’s saturated suede knee-highs in SoHo to Beyoncé’s patent red platforms on the Las Vegas circuit — but Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest entry added something different to the run. —Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Dec. 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"