silky
Americanadjective
-
of or like silk; smooth, lustrous, soft, or delicate.
silky skin.
-
Botany. covered with fine, soft, closely set hairs, as a leaf.
adjective
-
resembling silk in texture; glossy
-
made of silk
-
(of a voice, manner, etc) suave; smooth
-
botany covered with long fine soft hairs
silky leaves
Other Word Forms
- silkily adverb
- silkiness noun
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 4: Powerful Openings
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
American Street
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Though Guardiola has said Cherki is one of the most talented players he has worked with, some of the silky skills from the 22-year-old have not always gone down well.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
You’re saying that’s a modern song with those silky yacht rock chords.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
One of those enjoying the input of Fiji's most-capped player is 16-year-old Maikah Dau, a softly spoken, silky midfielder whose father played alongside Krishna in the national team.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
Someone instructs you to tear off pieces and dip them in the accompanying guava and plantain chutneys, silky chickpea curry and punchy pepper jelly, pooled around a peninsula of tangy cultured butter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
Their silky black hats are so tall, they remind me of stovepipes.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
