vellum

American  

[vel-uhm] / ˈvɛl əm /

noun

1. calfskin, lambskin, kidskin, etc., treated for use as a writing surface.

2. a manuscript or the like on vellum.

3. a texture of paper or cloth resembling vellum.

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adjective

1. made of or resembling vellum.

2. bound in vellum.

vellum British  

/ ˈvɛləm /

noun

1. a fine parchment prepared from the skin of a calf, kid, or lamb

2. a work printed or written on vellum

3. a creamy coloured heavy paper resembling vellum

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adjective

1. made of or resembling vellum

2. (of a book) bound in vellum

Other Word Forms

• half-vellum noun

Etymology

Origin of vellum

1400–50; late Middle English velum, velim < Middle French ve ( e ) lin of a calf. See veal, -in ¹

Example Sentences

But a new project will explore the possibility it was created at a monastery in Portmahomack where there was a workshop turning animal hides into vellum - a fine parchment used for writing on.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Layered on top are paint splotches and streaks, as well as taped-on paper and vellum, blurring and obscuring the collage of figures underneath.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

The scroll, which consists of 56 pages stitched together by hand and contains about 11,600 words, is the first to be printed on paper, rather than vellum, reflecting the king’s views on animal welfare.

From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024

Which source was originally used to create the writing material known as vellum?

From Slate • Jan. 11, 2024

There were studies of shadows against a faded brick wall, photographs of feathers clotting the shoreline of Shaker Lake, experiments Mia was conducting with printing photographs on different surfaces: vellum, aluminum foil, newspapers.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface