# silk

/ˈsɪɫk/ (US) · /sˈɪlk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/silk
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the material or cloth

noun · CEFR B1

a delicate, soft, and expensive cloth made from the threads of a silkworm.

For teachers: a fine, lustrous fibre produced by silkworms, or the textile woven from these threads. Uncountable when referring to the material; countable when referring to specific types or garments.

- She wore a beautiful dress made of green silk to the wedding.
- The merchant specialised in importing raw silk from East Asia, which was then processed into high-end garments for the European market.

### 2. a senior lawyer

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

a high-ranking lawyer in the UK and some other countries.

For teachers: a Senior Counsel or King's Counsel, so named because of the silk gown they are entitled to wear in court.

- After twenty years of successful cases, she was finally appointed as a silk.
- The defendant's family decided to hire a leading silk to lead the defence team during the high-profile fraud trial.

### 3. jockey's clothing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the colourful shirts worn by people who ride horses in races.

For teachers: the colourful garments worn by a jockey, typically displaying the specific colours and patterns of the horse's owner.

- The jockey changed into the owner's blue and white silks before the race.
- As the horses rounded the final bend, the owner's distinctive red and gold silks were clearly visible at the front of the pack.

### 4. aerial performance

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

long pieces of fabric hanging from the ceiling that performers use to do acrobatics.

For teachers: a type of aerial apparatus consisting of two long strips of fabric suspended from a single point, used for acrobatic tricks.

- She practiced her routine on the silks for hours to get the drop right.
- The circus performer demonstrated incredible core strength while wrapping herself in the silks high above the stage.

## Examples

- She wore a beautiful dress made of pure silk.
- The merchant imported high-quality silk from Asia to sell to the local fashion designers.
- The delicate texture of the silk lining provides a sharp contrast to the heavy wool of the outer coat, demonstrating the designer's attention to tactile detail.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.