silken

[ sil-kuh n ]

/ ˈsɪl kən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR silken ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

made of silk.

like silk in smoothness, softness, glossiness, or delicateness.

clad in silk.

smoothly persuasive or ingratiating; mellifluous: the senator's silken oratory.

elegant; luxurious.

Nearby words

Origin of silken

before 900; Middle English; Old English seolcen. See silk, -en²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for silken

One is the “silken cord” solution favored by Ottoman sultans.
Dictators' Sons, From Egypt to Libya, Are Doomed|Stephen Kinzer|February 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
His silken yellow hair fell in heavy curls on a pair of the broadest shoulders in the dale.
Erling the Bold|R.M. Ballantyne
Tossing the rosebuds on the bench, she began to draw into smoothness the silken loop that defaced the tie.
Flood Tide|Sara Ware Bassett
And the rustle of silken skirts heralded the departure of the ladies away from the hedge and beyond Paul's hearing.
One Day|Anonymous

And now emerging from the darksome shade, She pressed the silken carpet of the glade.
The Culprit Fay|Joseph Rodman Drake
His fingers were just striking the first tap when a silken voice startled him.
Bucky O'Connor|William MacLeod Raine

British Dictionary definitions for silken

silken

/ (ˈsɪlkən) /

adjective

made of silk

resembling silk in smoothness or gloss

dressed in silk

soft and delicate

rare luxurious or elegant

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

Word Origin and History for silken

silken

adj.

Old English seolcen "made of silk;" see silk + -en (2). Meaning "silk-like, soft and glossy" is from 1510s.

silken

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of silken

Examples from the Web for silken

silken

adjective

silken