silk en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /sɪlk/
- sĭlk
Etymology
From Middle English silk, sylk, selk, selc, from Old English sioloc, seoloc, seolc (“silk”). The immediate source is uncertain; it probably reached English via the Baltic trade routes (cognates in Old Norse silki (> Danish silke, Swedish silke (“silk”)), Russian шёлк (šolk), obsolete Lithuanian zilkai̇̃), all ultimately from Late Latin sēricus, from Ancient Greek σηρικός (sērikós), ultimately from an Oriental language (represented now by e.g. Chinese 絲 /丝 (sī, “silk”)). Displaced Old English sīde (“silk”). Compare Seres. Doublet of seric and serge.
Meanings
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(uncountable) A fine fiber excreted by the silkworm or other arthropod (such as a spider).
We harvested a load of silk from the silkworm farm.
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(countable, uncountable) A thread or yarn made from silk fibers.
This is sewn from silk.
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(countable, uncountable) A fine, soft cloth woven from silk yarn or thread.
It was flood-tide along Fifth Avenue; motor, brougham, and victoria swept by on the glittering current; pretty women glanced out from limousine and tonneau; young men of his own type, silk-hatted, frock-coated, the crooks of their walking sticks tucked up under their left arms, passed on the Park side.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “His Own People”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 6:I'll buy a couple yards of silk.
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(countable, in-plural, uncountable) A fine, soft cloth woven from silk yarn or thread. ▸ A pair of long silk sheets suspended in the air on which a performer performs tricks.
She's a master with the silks.
- (countable, uncountable) A fine, soft cloth woven from silk yarn or thread. ▸ A parachute.
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(countable, uncountable) An article of clothing made from silk cloth.
He's wearing his silk.
- (countable, plural-normally, uncountable) An article of clothing made from silk cloth. ▸ The garments worn by a jockey displaying the colors of the horse's owner.
- (countable, uncountable) An article of clothing made from silk cloth. ▸ The gown worn by a Senior (i.e., Queen's/King's) Counsel.
- (colloquial, countable, figuratively, metonymically, uncountable) An article of clothing made from silk cloth. ▸ The gown worn by a Senior (i.e., Queen's/King's) Counsel. ▸ A Queen's Counsel, King's Counsel or Senior Counsel.
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(countable, uncountable) Anything which resembles silk, such as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize or the seed covering of bombaxes.
Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.
1963, Margery Allingham, “Dangerous Lady”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 36:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| silks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Sri Lankan tussar silk moth · silkmoth · floss silk · soft as silk · nonsilk · oiled silk · silklike · silk press · silk tree · silkwork · ahimsa silk · cornsilk · silker · peace silk · silkpunk · you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear · make a silk purse of a sow's ear · silk hat · raw silk · desilk · silky · widow's silk · silkstone · Jap silk · silkworm · golden silk orb-weaver · silken · silkware · silkwoman · silk serge · silkweaver · silktassel · silk elevator · silk paper · silkgrass · cactus silk · sea silk · silk-oak · silk moss · silkweed · glass silk · silkette · silk-cotton tree · smooth as silk · silk screen · silk-screen printing · silk screen effect · flox silk · corn silk · silkman · silkgrower · sabra silk · water silk · floss-silk · silkgrowing · silktail · silkwear · hit the silk · silkweaving · silkless · silk oak · crow-silk · fart through silk · take silk · silkscreen · silkness · silk-stocking · silkworks · silk shag
Descendants
Translations (310)
ast seda (fabric) · ta பட்டு (fiber) · te పట్టు (fabric) · za seicouz (fabric) · sa कौशेय (fabric) · ar حَرِير (fiber) · sh svíla (fiber) · vi tơ lụa (fabric) · ota ابرشیم (fiber) · et siid (fabric) · ja 絹 (fabric) · hak 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · rup mãtase (fabric) · rsk гадваб (fiber) · wa soye (fiber) · cmn 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · hy մետաքս (fiber) · fa-ira پَرْنِیان (fabric) · be ядва́б (fabric) · fa-ira حَریر (fabric) · nn silke (fiber) · hy մետաքս (fabric) · to silika (fabric) · ckb ئاوریشم (fabric) · nl zijdedoek (fabric) · et siid (fiber) · fa-ira اَبْریشُم (fiber) · fa-ira اَبْریشَم (fabric) · ar حَرِير (fabric) · fur sede (fiber) · rm seda (fabric) · rm saida (fiber) · kn ರೇಷ್ಮೆ (fiber) · dv ފަށުި (fiber) · nan-hbl 絲 /丝 (fabric) · lb Seid (fiber) · war sida (fiber) · lv zīds (fabric) · ce чилла (fiber) · da silke (fabric) · nl spinrag (fiber) · vi vải lụa (fabric) · hi रेशम (fiber) · liv zīḑõz (fabric) · ka აბრეშუმი (fiber) · kw owrlin (fiber) · ur حَرِیر (fiber) · my ပိုး (fabric) · bn রেশম (fabric) · nan-hbl 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · ia seta (fiber) · el μετάξι (fiber) · hi कौशेय (fabric) · he מֶשִׁי (fiber) · ca seda (fabric) · ja 絹糸 (fiber) · rsk гадваб (fabric) · os цыллӕ (fiber) · nl zijde (fiber) · ha tsamiya (fiber) · ar إبْرِيسِم (fiber) · sv silke (fiber) · ga éadach síoda (fabric) · uk шовк (fabric) · tl sutla (fabric) · atv торго (fiber) · om hariira (fiber) · khb ᦺᦖ (fiber) · ro mătase (fabric) · sv silke (fabric) · es seda (fiber) · mk свила (fabric) · lt šilkas (fabric) · alt јибек (fabric) · kk жібек (fiber) · dlm saita (fiber) · cs hedvábí (fabric) · gl seda (fiber) · km សូត្រ (fiber) · sq mëndafsh (fabric) · grc μέταξα (fabric) · fr soie (fiber) · tg абрешим (fiber) · fa-ira لاد (fabric) · ja 絹布 (fabric) · tg ҳарир (fiber) · rm seida (fiber) · da silke (fiber) · ar إبْرَيْسَم (fiber) · oc seda (fiber) · fa-ira دیبا (fabric) · fur sede (fabric) · be ядва́б (fiber) · kmr hevrîşm (fiber) · sl svila (fiber) · uz ipak (fiber) · uz harir (fiber) · ast seda (fiber) · sc seda (fiber) · co seta (fiber) · se silki (fabric) · id sutra (fiber) · gl seda (fabric) · vi xoa (fabric) · wym zajd (fiber) · it seta (fabric) · ka აბრეშუმი (fabric) · uk єдва́б (fabric) · mnc ᠰᡳᡵᡤᡝ (fiber) · scn sita (fiber) · dng сыщян (fiber) · so xariir (fiber) · az ipək (fiber) · pt seda (fabric) · lv zīds (fiber) · hu selyem (fabric) · th ไหม (fabric) · mi hiraka (fabric) · pl jedwab (fiber) · ar إبْرِيسِم (fabric) · gld сэурэ (fabric) · udi абришӏум (fiber) · mn торгон утас (fiber) · gld гокси (fabric) · orv шьлкъ (fabric) · km ព្រែ (fabric) · sv siden (fabric) · sl svila (fabric) · tg шоҳӣ (fabric) · cy sidan (fabric) · uk шовк (fiber) · grc σηρικόν (fabric) · nv naakʼaʼatʼą́hí disǫsígíí (fabric) · ko 명주 (fiber) · eu zeta (fiber) · hi रेशम (fabric) · atv йибек (fiber) · yi זײַד (fabric) · bho रेशम (fiber) · alt торко (fabric) · cs hedvábí (fiber) · ps ورېښم (fiber) · fr soie (fabric) · ur ریشَم (fabric) · hi हरीर (fiber) · cy sidan (fiber) · th ไหม (fiber) · frr siisen (fiber) · cmn 絲 /丝 (fabric) · yue 絲 /丝 (fabric) · la bombȳx (fiber) · br seiz (fiber) · sk hodváb (fiber) · sc seta (fabric) · la sēricum (fabric) · yi זײַד (fiber) · zdj hariri (fiber) · ug يىپەك (fabric) · ota حریر (fiber) · ro mătase (fiber) · fa-ira سیلْک (fabric) · arz حرير (fabric) · bo དར (fiber) · rhg recóm (fiber) · it seta (fiber) · vo sadin (fiber) · be шоўк (fabric) · vi tơ (fiber) · sh сви́ла (fiber) · fi silkki (fiber) · hu selyemszál (fiber) · ja 絹地 (fabric) · rm saida (fabric) · lo ໄໝ (fabric) · orv шьлкъ (fiber) · wuu 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · ca seda (fiber) · mnp 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · sq mëndafsh (fiber) · ota قز (fiber) · vi lụa (fabric) · te పట్టు (fiber) · twf sédoną (fabric) · ml പട്ട് (fabric) · tk ýüpek (fiber) · ga seiric (fiber) · as ৰেচম (fiber) · tk ýüpek (fabric) · lo ໄໝ (fiber) · io silko (fiber) · de Seide (fiber) · rm seida (fabric) · ru шёлк (fabric) · gd sìoda (fabric) · fa-ira اَبْریشُم (fabric) · yue 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric) · az ipək (fabric) · ru шёлк (fiber) · lt šilkas (fiber) · ta பட்டு (fabric) · bg сви́ла (fiber) · nl rag (fiber) · fo silki (fabric) · gu રેશમ (fiber) · sc seda (fabric) · la bombȳx (fabric) · el μέταξα (fiber) · sh svíla (fabric) · ga síoda (fiber) · haw lole paheʻe (fabric) · is silki (fabric) · sc seta (fiber) · za couz (fabric) · izh šulkku (fiber) · sc sera (fiber) · el μετάξι (fabric) · rm seda (fiber) · non silki (fabric) · ko 비단 (fabric) · mt ħarir (fabric) · ml പട്ട് (fiber) · tl seda (fabric) · pl jedwab (fabric) · sk hodváb (fabric) · be шоўк (fiber) · ur ریشَم (fiber) · sgs sėlks (fiber) · izh šulkku (fabric) · pdt Sied (fabric) · atv торга (fiber) · mn торго (fabric) · acw حرير (fiber) · ug يىپەك (fiber) · gv sheeidey (fiber) · sc sera (fabric) · gl serda (fiber) · fa-ira حَریر (fiber) · kmr herîr (fiber) · he מֶשִׁי (fabric) · la sēricum (fiber) · fa-ira پَرَنْد (fabric) · alt торко (fiber) · th แพร (fabric) · gl serda (fabric) · pt seda (fiber) · ky жибек (fabric) · is silki (fiber) · bg копри́на (fiber) · ko 비단 (fiber) · afb حرير (fiber) · haw kilika (fiber) · or ରେଶମ (fiber) · fa-ira سَرِه (fabric) · bg копри́на (fabric) · bn সিল্ক (fabric) · su sutra (fiber) · bjn lalamas (fiber) · nb silke (fiber) · sh сви́ла (fabric) · mk свила (fiber) · kk жібек (fabric) · de Seide (fabric) · sw hariri (fiber) · ota ایپك (fiber) · ang seolc (fiber) · sa कौशेय (fiber) · oc seda (fabric) · gd sìoda (fiber) · ar إبْرَيْسَم (fabric) · bn রেশম (fiber) · cmn 絲線 /丝线 (fiber) · gd sròl (fabric) · arz حرير (fiber) · fi silkki (fabric) · udi абришӏум (fabric) · ms sutera (fabric) · tr ipek (fabric) · ms sutera (fiber) · hi कौशेय (fiber) · eo silko (fiber) · uk єдва́б (fiber) · fo silki (fiber) · uz ipak (fabric) · alt јибек (fiber) · th ผ้าไหม (fabric) · dng сычу (fabric) · mel seterak (fiber) · cmn 絲 /丝 (fiber) · ang sīde (fiber) · niv чарб (fabric) · tg абрешим (fabric) · uz harir (fabric) · ga síoda (fabric) · vi chỉ tơ (fiber) · nb silke (fabric) · tr ipek (fiber) · nl zijde (fabric) · afb حرير (fabric) · es seda (fabric) · ckb ئاوریشم (fiber) · nn silke (fabric) · ja 絹 (fiber) · dlm saita (fabric) · ky жибек (fiber) · cop ϣⲉⲛⲥ (fiber) · kmr hevrîşm (fabric) · khb ᦶᦣ (fiber) · fa-ira اَبْریشَم (fiber) · rup mãtase (fiber) · cdo 絲綢 /丝绸 (fabric)