silk gland

American

noun

any of several glands, as in various insects and spiders, that secrete a viscid protein substance which hardens into silk on contact with air.

Etymology

Origin of silk gland

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

This type of silk is made inside a spider's silk gland, where silk proteins are stored as a thick liquid called "silk dope."

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

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