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silesia

1 American  
[si-lee-zhuh, -shuh, sahy-] / sɪˈli ʒə, -ʃə, saɪ- /

noun

  1. a lightweight, smoothly finished, twilled fabric of acetate, rayon, or cotton, for garment linings.

Silesia 2 American  
[si-lee-zhuh, -shuh, sahy-] / sɪˈli ʒə, -ʃə, saɪ- /

noun

  1. a region in central Europe along both banks of the upper Oder River, mainly in SW Poland and the N Czech Republic: formerly divided between Germany (which had the largest portion), Poland, and Czechoslovakia; by provision of the Potsdam agreement 1945, the greater part of German Silesia came under Polish administration; rich deposits of coal, iron, and other minerals.

Silesia 1 British  
/ saɪˈliːʃɪə /

noun

  1. German name: Schlesien.  Czech name: Slezsko.  Polish name: Śląsk.  a region of central Europe around the upper and middle Oder valley: mostly annexed by Prussia in 1742 but became almost wholly Polish in 1945; rich coal and iron-ore deposits

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
silesia 2 British  
/ saɪˈliːʃɪə /

noun

  1. a twill-weave fabric of cotton or other fibre, used esp for pockets, linings, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • Silesian adjective

Etymology

Origin of silesia

First recorded in 1665–70; named after Silesia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Yes, I want some twilled silesia, a paper of number nine needles, and two yards of narrow lavender ribbon. Have you got your thick boots on, and something warm under your cloak?”

From Literature

Yes; I want some twilled silesia, a paper of number nine needles, and two yards of narrow lavender ribbon.

From Project Gutenberg

Cotton linings include silesia, originally a linen cloth made in Silesia and now usually a twilled cotton cloth which is dyed various colours; Italian cloth, a kind of jean or sateen produced originally in Italy.

From Project Gutenberg

Four grades of delicate pink silesia and two and one-half yards of unbleached muslin for interlining, made an item of fifty cents.

From Project Gutenberg

These are used over silk and silesia for backgrounds, and are exceedingly pretty, with pillow shams to match.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.