silken
Americanadjective
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made of silk.
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like silk in smoothness, softness, glossiness, or delicateness.
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clad in silk.
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smoothly persuasive or ingratiating; mellifluous.
the senator's silken oratory.
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elegant; luxurious.
adjective
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made of silk
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resembling silk in smoothness or gloss
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dressed in silk
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soft and delicate
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rare luxurious or elegant
Etymology
Origin of silken
before 900; Middle English; Old English seolcen. See silk, -en 2
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.
He brought silken “descending dove” tone to his solo playing, but at low tone becoming more a voice from afar than soloist.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
For dessert, a slice of Basque cheesecake, no crust, just burnt sugar edges and silken center, served with fruit.
From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025
She is a supremely balanced runner with a galloping stride, a silken swerve and the daring to put them to use on the biggest stage.
From BBC • Sep. 26, 2025
Times have changed and the New Hollywood brings a more robust tone and more overt interaction to its effusive interpretation compared with the silken and playful Slatkin and crew, who were all Russian-trained players.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2025
The old woman dabbed a smear of honey off her lips, gave Qezza and Grazhar each a parting kiss upon the brow, and fastened her silken veil across her face.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
