Word
silken
US/ˈsɪɫkən/
UK/sˈɪlkən/
Definition
adj. soft and smooth like silk, or made from silk. You use it for hair, skin, or cloth that feels very smooth.
adj. Made of silk or having a smooth, soft, lustrous texture resembling silk. Often applied to hair, fabric, or skin to suggest luxury or delicacy.
Examples
“She wears a silken scarf around her neck.”
“The hotel advertises silken sheets that stay cool through the night.”
“In the late light, the lake took on a silken surface that blurred the line between water and sky.”
Examples
simple
“She wears a silken scarf around her neck.”
contextual
“The hotel advertises silken sheets that stay cool through the night.”
complex
“In the late light, the lake took on a silken surface that blurred the line between water and sky.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “silken” in context.
Verb
01. feel silken
“The scarf felt silken against her cheek.”
verb + adj
02. look silken
“After conditioning, her coat looked silken and glossy.”
verb + adj
03. silken drapes
“The silken curtain draped elegantly to the floor.”
adj + verb
04. silken flows
“Her silken skirt flowed behind her in the breeze.”
adj + verb
05. silken shimmers
“The silken fabric shimmered in the candlelight.”
adj + verb
Adjective
06. silken fabric
“She chose a gown cut from flowing silken fabric.”
adj + noun
07. silken hair
“Her long silken hair shone under the stage lights.”
adj + noun
08. silken robe
“He slipped on a dark silken robe over his pyjamas.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. silken in texture
“The lotion leaves skin silken in texture.”
adj + prep + noun
10. curtain of silken hair
“A curtain of silken hair hid her expression from view.”
11. drape of silken fabric
“The drape of silken fabric moved gracefully in the wind.”
12. in a silken voice
“She welcomed the audience in a silken voice.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies.
Real-World Examples
“You want to cook it slowly on a low heat so that the eggs are silken and smooth.” “Press a button on the shiny fascia, and it’ll whip milk into a hot, silken froth perfect for a cappuccino or flat white.” 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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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