vellum
Americannoun
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calfskin, lambskin, kidskin, etc., treated for use as a writing surface.
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a manuscript or the like on vellum.
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a texture of paper or cloth resembling vellum.
adjective
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made of or resembling vellum.
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bound in vellum.
noun
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a fine parchment prepared from the skin of a calf, kid, or lamb
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a work printed or written on vellum
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a creamy coloured heavy paper resembling vellum
adjective
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made of or resembling vellum
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(of a book) bound in vellum
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vellum
1400–50; late Middle English velum, velim < Middle French ve ( e ) lin of a calf. See veal, -in 1
Explanation
Vellum is a thick, fancy type of paper that was traditionally made from animal skin. Today, vellum is much more likely to be made of cotton instead. If you buy a sheet of vellum from an art supply store, you can rest assured that it's completely vegetarian. Partly because animal skin vellum is so expensive to produce, it's rare these days. Some sacred texts are still printed on the very fine, thin hides of cows, including Torah scrolls. The British Acts of Parliament also continue to be printed on animal vellum. The word vellum shares a root with veal, or "calf meat."
Vocabulary lists containing vellum
Stroke of Genius: Words About Painting
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Art History
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Medieval Europe - Middle School
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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.
He hopes to gain a better understanding of the vellum workshop by reconstructing its water tank and using it to make vellum.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
Metcalfe has taken it upon himself to find the long-lost document, allegedly written by Blundy on a vellum scroll and buried by Vivien somewhere on Blundy’s property.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025
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
She leafed through her study book, crammed with sketches of insects painted from life on scraps of vellum.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
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.
