silk

[silk]

noun

1. the soft, lustrous fiber obtained as a filament from the cocoon of the silkworm.

2. thread made from this fiber.

3. cloth made from this fiber.

4. a garment of this cloth.

5. a gown of such material worn distinctively by a King's or Queen's Counsel at the English bar.

6. silks, the blouse and peaked cap, considered together, worn by a jockey or sulky driver in a race.

7. Informal.,  a parachute, especially one opened aloft.

8. any fiber or filamentous matter resembling silk, as a filament produced by certain spiders, the thread of a mollusk, or the like.

9. the hairlike styles on an ear of corn.

10. British Informal.

    1. a King's or Queen's Counsel.

    2. any barrister of high rank.

adjective

1. made of silk.

2. resembling silk; silky.

3. of or relating to silk.

verb (used without object)

1. (of corn) to be in the course of developing silk.

silk

/ sɪlk /

noun

1. the very fine soft lustrous fibre produced by a silkworm to make its cocoon

2. 1. thread or fabric made from this fibre

   2. ( as modifier )

      a silk dress

3. a garment made of this

4. a very fine fibre produced by a spider to build its web, nest, or cocoon

5. the tuft of long fine styles on an ear of maize

6. 1. the gown worn by a Queen's (or King's) Counsel

   2. informal,  a Queen's (or King's) Counsel

   3. to become a Queen's (or King's) Counsel

verb

1. (intr) (of maize) to develop long hairlike styles

silk

1. A fiber produced by silkworms to form cocoons. Silk is strong, flexible, and fibrous, and is essentially a long continuous strand of protein. It is widely used to make thread and fabric.

2. A substance similar to the silk of the silkworm but produced by other insect larvae or by spiders to spin webs.

Other Word Forms

• silklike adjective
• half-silk adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of silk¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun selk, seolk, solk, Old English sioloc, seol(o)c (cognate with Old Norse silki, Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish silke, but not found in other Germanic languages), by uncertain transmission from Latin sērica, noun use of neuter plural adjective sēricus, or from Greek sērikón “silk,” noun use of neuter of sērikós “silken,” literally, “Chinese,” derivative of Latin Sēres, Greek Sêres “the Chinese”; Germanic, Slavic ( Old Church Slavonic shelkŭ, Russian shëlk ) and Baltic ( Lithuanian šilkai ) all show unexplained change of r to l ); seric-

Word History and Origins

Origin of silk¹

Old English sioluc; compare Old Norse silki, Greek sērikon, Korean sir; all ultimately from Chinese ssǔ silk

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take silk, to become a Queen's or King's Counsel.

2. hit the silk, to parachute from an aircraft; bail out.

see can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear; smooth as silk.

Example Sentences

There were fancy dresses made of silk and velvet and chiffon, men’s breeches and brocade vests, miles of taffeta and endless lengths of ribbon, and countless boxes of tiaras and leather slippers.

Read more on Literature

Penelope sat on the love seat, which was unfortunate, as it was upholstered in ivory silk that had been unblemished until that moment.

Read more on Literature

The hat she wore was trimmed with long ribbons of yellow silk.

Read more on Literature

Inspired by 1930s driving caps but with a 1960s print, this silk driving cap from Bode is a perfect, and timeless, accessory as summer melds into fall.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Wearing a red silk top emblazoned with dragons, Zhuang said he is happy to spend money on a new experience.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• fiber 
• taffeta 
• thread 
• tulle