WordGarden.iosilken
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɪlkən/
US
- /ˈsɪlkən/
Meanings
Adjective
soft, smooth, or lustrous like silk
made of silk
Beyond the definition
Imagine running your fingers across fine silk. That's the feeling this word brings. It describes something very smooth, soft, and often slightly shiny. It can be used for cloth, hair, skin, or anything else that seems to have that gentle, silk-like quality.
The word can also be used in a more figurative way. A silken voice is calm, smooth, and pleasing to hear. Silken words may sound kind and elegant, and sometimes they can even hide someone's true purpose. The word often suggests beauty, comfort, and quiet luxury.
"Silken" begins with silk, but it does not have to describe actual silk cloth. It is an adjective for anything that feels or seems like silk in some way: smooth, soft, fine, gentle, and often lightly shining. The word is most often used for texture and appearance, so it fits well with hair, skin, cloth, threads, or movement that seems soft and flowing.
It also works in figurative language. A silken voice sounds smooth, gentle, and controlled. Silken words sound polished and pleasant. In some contexts, that pleasant quality can suggest charm that is not fully sincere, so the word can carry a faint sense of softness used to persuade.
Most of the time, though, the word is positive. It suggests beauty, comfort, grace, and a rich, elegant feel. Writers often choose it when they want the reader to almost feel the scene: silken hair, silken curtains, silken darkness, or a silken touch. In that way, the word does more than say "smooth." It adds softness, shine, and a sense of quiet luxury.
Examples
- 1
Clothing
She tied her hair back with a silken ribbon.
- 2
Voice
He spoke in a silken voice that made even bad news sound gentle.
- 3
Hidden intention
Beneath his silken manners, she sensed that he was trying to control the conversation.
- Phrasesilken manners
very smooth, polished behavior, sometimes hiding someone's real intention
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- silkenadjective