Velvet
noun / adjective /ˈvɛlvɪt/ — A fabric of deep softness — and the quality of anything that achieves its effect through gentle, yielding means.
Definition
A closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon with a thick short pile on one side; also, an adjective describing softness and richness analogous to the fabric's qualities.
Beyond the definition
Velvet is one of those material words that has fully earned its metaphorical use — the velvet revolution, the velvet glove. The texture communicates something precise: luxurious, dense, yielding, quiet. Power that doesn't feel like force.
Origin & history
From Medieval Latin villutum — soft fabric (from Latin villus: shaggy hair, nap). The soft fabric from the shagginess of its pile — a word for depth of texture.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The night felt like velvet — warm and heavy, everything softened.
She delivered the criticism in velvet: so smooth you didn't feel the edge until later.
The velvet glove metaphor endures because the combination is real: softness can contain force.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Velvet” when the meaning fits your context: A closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon with a thick short pile on one side; also, an adjective describing softness and richness analogous to the fabric's qualities.
Synonyms
plush, soft, smooth, silky, luxurious
Antonyms
rough, harsh, abrasive
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Thick, textured paint on palette
An artist's palette shows thick, swirling paint with a sheen and texture that catches the light.
The thick, smooth pile of the pigments provides a visual analogy for velvet, describing a richness of texture that is soft and luxurious to the eye.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Velvet" mean?
Velvet is noun / adjective meaning: A fabric of deep softness — and the quality of anything that achieves its effect through gentle, yielding means.. A closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon with a thick short pile on one side; also, an adjective describing softness and richness analogous to the fabric's qualities.
Where does the word "Velvet" come from?
From Medieval Latin villutum — soft fabric (from Latin villus: shaggy hair, nap). The soft fabric from the shagginess of its pile — a word for depth of texture.