silky
Americanadjective
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of or like silk; smooth, lustrous, soft, or delicate.
silky skin.
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Botany. covered with fine, soft, closely set hairs, as a leaf.
adjective
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resembling silk in texture; glossy
-
made of silk
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(of a voice, manner, etc) suave; smooth
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botany covered with long fine soft hairs
silky leaves
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of silky
Explanation
Silky is an adjective describing something smooth, soft, and glossy — like your friend's silky hair or the silky fabric of a formal gown. Silky is a textural description, and it can be used to describe food, fabric, or hair. The word can also be used to describe vocal textures, as well. Someone might say about Frank Sinatra, "His silky smooth voice and his innovative lyrics will be around for quite some time."
Vocabulary lists containing silky
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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American Street
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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.
See Examples For:
As the beans sit, they absorb some of the dressing’s flavor while also releasing a bit of their starch into the olive oil, creating something that feels almost silky.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026
Some of his most popular designs are the backless halter tops with an elastic chest and waist area trimmed with a silky lace, as well as scrunched crop-top jerseys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
The designs, including silky dresses and billowing space-age black trousers like those worn by rock star David Bowie in the 1970s, were carefully fitted to the robots' skeletal frames.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
I found the ride, while perfectly acceptable, didn’t offer the silky smoothness European buyers expect from a top-of-the-line luxury model.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
She was wild-haired as ever—or even more so, from her recent exertions—and had put on a slip with a robe, unbelted, its ties flittering behind her like silky kitten tails.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
The fragrance of rose makes hair seem silkier, for instance.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 9, 2026
"Remy hair has aligned cuticles, hair flows uniformly in one direction, which leads to less tangling and a silkier texture. This is high-value hair," says George Cherion, the company's chief executive.
From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2025
The filling is gluten-free and tastes lighter and silkier than any sweet potato pie I have ever had.
From Salon ● Nov. 9, 2023
When mashed potatoes chill, their starches firm up, and when reheated gently, they relax into a mash with an even silkier texture.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2022
"How well you are looking," said he, staring at her, as she took off her bonnet, "and the nice glossy hair has all grown again, and I vow it is brighter and silkier than ever."
From Tony Butler by Lever, Charles James
The final look underlined the simple elegance of Jones’ propositions: A racing-back tank tucked into white trousers softened by this season’s apron-half skirt — all in the silkiest white.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 21, 2022
It’s a middle-of-the-spectrum, Goldilocks option — not the firmest or the floppiest, neither the silkiest nor the craggiest, but it will slide comfortably on the boards, which have been playing on the slow side.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 11, 2022
We soon learn that the silkiest Salamanca, a highly charismatic sociopath, has arrived with an elaborate scheme, one that he presumably has fine tuned during many days hiding in Albuquerque’s sewage system.
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2022
For the silkiest, smoothest chocolate mousse, bring a ripe avocado into the mix.
From Salon ● May 15, 2021
“That’s good. That’s right. Always remember you can wear the silkiest, most beautiful hijab in the world, but what matters is what’s in here.”
From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin
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.
