What does kidskin mean?
Kidskin is a fine leather made from the skin of a young goat. It is especially valued for its softness, smoothness, and suppleness, qualities that have long made it popular for gloves, as well as for bookbinding and other luxury crafts. The word also has a literal sense meaning a child's skin, but that usage is now uncommon and may sound dated or uncomfortable. In ordinary modern reference, “kidskin” usually denotes a material rather than an animal’s hide generally: a buyer may ask whether a pair of gloves is made from goatskin, lambskin, or kidskin, with kidskin suggesting a particularly delicate, high-quality leather. The term also occurs in descriptions of antique bindings, where soft goatskin was used to cover books. Its association with refined craftsmanship gives it a somewhat specialised and luxurious character, even though the word itself is not commonly used in general conversation.
nounThe skin of a young goat, especially when used as a fine, soft leather for making gloves and other goods. By extension, it can mean the skin of a child.
- The skin of a young goat, especially when prepared as soft, fine leather.
- The skin of a child, a literal sense that is now uncommon and may sound dated or insensitive.
"Her gloves were made from supple, cream-coloured kidskin."
"The bookbinder selected a deep burgundy kidskin for the cover."
"In the novel, the tailor kept boxes of brightly coloured kidskin in the workshop."
The plural is rarely needed because kidskin is often used as a mass noun for the material, but it is standard when referring to individual hides.
"The workshop displayed several carefully preserved kidskins."
A classic luxury glove material, kidskin gets its name from its source: the tender skin of a young goat, not a child.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kidskin come from?
“Kidskin” combines the older English word “kid,” meaning a young goat, with “skin.” In compound formation, the word refers specifically to the hide of a young goat, valued for producing fine-grained, soft leather. The meaning for the skin of a child developed by direct extension of “kid,” an older term for a child. “Kid” is now principally used for a young goat, though it retains the older sense in certain regional and literary usage.
How kidskin is actually used
The leather sense is chiefly associated with high-quality gloves and traditional bookbinding. The literal reference to children's skin is uncommon and can sound archaic or unsettling; “children's skin” is normally clearer.
Easily confused with kidskin
Kidskin is the skin of a young goat, whereas lambskin comes from a young sheep and is typically softer and woollier.
Goatskin may refer to the hide of a mature goat, while kidskin specifically denotes the skin of a young goat and is valued for its suppleness.