n. [ OE. silk, selk, AS. seolc, seoloc; akin to Icel. silki, SW. & Dan. silke; prob. through Slavic from an Oriental source; cf. Lith. szilkai, Russ. shelk', and also L. sericum Seric stuff, silk. Cf. Sericeous. Serge a woolen stuff. ] 1. The fine, soft thread produced by various species of caterpillars in forming the cocoons within which the worm is inclosed during the pupa state, especially that produced by the larvae of Bombyx mori. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, thread spun, or cloth woven, from the above-named material. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize. [ 1913 Webster ]

Raw silk, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and before it is manufactured. --
Silk cotton, a cottony substance enveloping the seeds of the silk-cotton tree. --
Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for several tropical trees of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to the order Bombaceae. The trees grow to an immense size, and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is used for stuffing cushions, but can not be spun. --
Silk flower. (Bot.) (a) The silk tree. (b) A similar tree (Calliandra trinervia) of Peru. --
Silk fowl (Zool.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky plumage. --
Silk gland (Zool.), a gland which secretes the material of silk, as in spider or a silkworm; a sericterium. --
Silk gown, the distinctive robe of a barrister who has been appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence, the counsel himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers, who wear stuff gowns. [ Eng. ] --
Silk grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa comata) of the Western United States, which has very long silky awns. The name is also sometimes given to various species of the genera Aqave and Yucca. --
Silk moth (Zool.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See Silkworm. --
Silk shag, a coarse, rough-woven silk, like plush, but with a stiffer nap. --
Silk spider (Zool.), a large spider (Nephila plumipes), native of the Southern United States, remarkable for the large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the great disparity in the sizes of the sexes. --
Silk thrower,
Silk throwster, one who twists or spins silk, and prepares it for weaving. Brande & C. --
Silk tree (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree (Albizzia Julibrissin) with finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat pods; -- so called because of the abundant long silky stamens of its blossoms. Also called silk flower. --
Silk vessel. (Zool.) Same as Silk gland, above. --
Virginia silk (Bot.), a climbing plant (Periploca Græca) of the Milkweed family, having a silky tuft on the seeds. It is native in Southern Europe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. seolcen, seolocen. ] 1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; as, silken cloth; a silken veil. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Soft; delicate; tender; smooth; as, silken language. “Silken terms precise.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Dressed in silk. “A . . . silken wanton.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To render silken or silklike. Dyer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality or state of being silky or silken; softness and smoothness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Effeminacy; weakness. [ R. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Silkmen A dealer in silks; a silk mercer. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Silkiness. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wearing silk stockings (which among men were formerly worn chiefly by the luxurious or aristocratic); hence, elegantly dressed; aristocratic; luxurious; -- chiefly applied to men, often by way of reproach.

[ They ] will find their levees crowded with silk-stocking gentry, but no yeomanry; an army of officers without soldiers. Jefferson. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genera Asclepias and Acerates whose seed vessels contain a long, silky down; milkweed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. seolcwyrm. ] (Zool.) The larva of any one of numerous species of bombycid moths, which spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon before changing to a pupa. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common species (Bombyx mori) feeds on the leaves of the white mulberry tree. It is native of China, but has long been introduced into other countries of Asia and Europe, and is reared on a large scale. In America it is reared only to small extent. The Ailanthus silkworm (Philosamia cynthia) is a much larger species, of considerable importance, which has been introduced into Europe and America from China. The most useful American species is the Polyphemus. See Polyphemus. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pernyi silkworm, the larva of the Pernyi moth. See Pernyi moth. --
Silkworm gut, a substance prepared from the contents of the silk glands of silkworms and used in making lines for angling. See Gut. --
Silkworm rot, a disease of silkworms; muscardine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Silkier superl. Silkiest. ] 1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; silken; silklike; as, a silky luster. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, soft and smooth; as, silky wine. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Covered with soft hairs pressed close to the surface, as a leaf; sericeous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Silky oak (Bot.), a lofty Australian tree (Grevillea robusta) with silky tomentose lobed or incised leaves. It furnishes a valuable timber. [ 1913 Webster ]