noun
silk
sihlk
noun
1
A fine, soft fiber produced by silkworms, or fabric woven from it.
"The dress was made of pure silk and felt cool against her skin."
"Spiders spin silk far stronger, ounce for ounce, than steel."
2
(British law, informal) A Queen's or King's Counsel, or the gown they wear.
"After twenty years at the bar, she finally took silk."
How to Use Silk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA smooth, shiny fabric made from fibers spun by silkworms.
When to use it
"Take silk" is a specifically British legal idiom meaning to be appointed a senior barrister (KC/QC).
Common pairings
pure silk
silk dress
take silk
spider silk
Word Forms
silked past tense, silks plural, Silks plural, silks singular
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The dress was made of pure _____ and felt cool against her skin.
Etymology
From Old English seolc, probably borrowed via early Baltic trade routes, ultimately tracing back through Latin and Greek to an East Asian source — the same root that gives us "China" as a byword for fine goods.