English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

adjective

silken

SIHL-kuhn

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Silken (adjective) means Made of silk, or soft and smooth like silk. Example: “She ran her fingers through his silken hair.”

adjective

1

Made of silk, or soft and smooth like silk.

"She ran her fingers through his silken hair."

"The curtains were a rich, silken fabric that caught the light."

2

Smooth and persuasive in speech or manner, often in a slightly untrustworthy way.

"His silken promises turned out to be worthless."

How to use silken

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSmooth and soft like silk, whether describing texture or a person's manner of speaking.

Common pairings

silken hair silken voice silken sheets

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Third person singular: silkens
Past tense: silkened

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Etymology

From Middle English silken, selken, seolkene, from Old English seolcen, from seolc (“silk”) + -en, from an unattested early Proto-West Germanic borrowing from Latin sēricum, from Ancient Greek σηρικός (sērikós, “silken”), from σήρ (sḗr, “silkworm”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic”). Equivalent to silk + -en (“made of”). Cognate with Scots selkin, silkin (“silken”), Icelandic silki (“silken”).

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

slick silky satiny silklike sleek

Related words

excellent tight smooth pat polished slick stylish slippery

Frequently asked questions

What does “silken” mean?

The word “silken” means made of silk, or soft and smooth like silk. In plain terms, smooth and soft like silk, whether describing texture or a person's manner of speaking.

How do you pronounce “silken”?

“Silken” is pronounced SIHL-kuhn (/ˈsɪlkən/ in IPA).

How do you use “silken” in a sentence?

Here is “silken” used in a sentence: “She ran her fingers through his silken hair.”

What part of speech is “silken”?

“Silken” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “silken” have?

“Silken” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: made of silk, or soft and smooth like silk.

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excellent tight smooth pat polished slick stylish slippery

etymology from Wiktionary