vellum

American  

[vel-uhm] / ˈvɛl əm /

noun

1. calfskin, lambskin, kidskin, etc., treated for use as a writing surface.

2. a manuscript or the like on vellum.

3. a texture of paper or cloth resembling vellum.

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adjective

1. made of or resembling vellum.

2. bound in vellum.

vellum British  

/ ˈvɛləm /

noun

1. a fine parchment prepared from the skin of a calf, kid, or lamb

2. a work printed or written on vellum

3. a creamy coloured heavy paper resembling vellum

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adjective

1. made of or resembling vellum

2. (of a book) bound in vellum

Other Word Forms

• half-vellum
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vellum

1400–50; late Middle English velum, velim < Middle French ve ( e ) lin of a calf. See veal, -in ¹

Explanation

Vellum is a thick, fancy type of paper that was traditionally made from animal skin. Today, vellum is much more likely to be made of cotton instead. If you buy a sheet of vellum from an art supply store, you can rest assured that it's completely vegetarian. Partly because animal skin vellum is so expensive to produce, it's rare these days. Some sacred texts are still printed on the very fine, thin hides of cows, including Torah scrolls. The British Acts of Parliament also continue to be printed on animal vellum. The word vellum shares a root with veal, or "calf meat."

Example Sentences

“A literary city is not just a publishing house or bookstores or writers or readers,” said Will Evans, publisher of Deep Vellum.

From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2024

“Everyone knows they want a certain set of rooms in their home: a kitchen, a particular number of bedrooms and baths,” said Jeff Pelletier, managing principal and founder of Board & Vellum.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 30, 2022

Board & Vellum created bookshelves for a local chef who wanted to be able to access and display cookbooks in a way that celebrated their variety.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2022

Each piece is “a drawing on top of a drawing on top of a drawing,” as if Servellon had created separate art works on translucent Vellum paper and layered them one on top of another.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 31, 2016

Vellum: one skin 16 � 12, two round seals of yellow wax, each 1½ inches in diameter and bearing a cross flory, probably not armorial.

From Sheffield and its Environs 13th to the 17th century A descriptive catalogue of land charters and other documents forming the Brooke Taylor collection by Hall, Thomas Walter

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface