What does sericeous mean?
Sericeous means silky in appearance or texture, especially as the description of a plant or animal covered with fine, soft hairs. The word is most common in botanical and zoological description, where it conveys a more precise visual or tactile quality than “silky” alone. A sericeous surface may gleam or feel smooth because its closely set hairs resemble fine silk or down. The term can also be used more broadly for anything resembling silk in sheen or texture. Although understandable in general prose, it sounds technical and is usually preferable in scientific, descriptive, or formal writing rather than casual conversation.
adjectiveResembling silk in texture or appearance; covered with fine, soft, silky hairs.
- Resembling silk in texture or appearance.
- Covered with fine, soft, silky hairs.
"The plant's young leaves are covered with a delicate, sericeous down."
"Fine sericeous hairs give the underside of the leaf a soft sheen."
"The insect's abdomen has a distinctly sericeous surface that catches the light."
Sericeous turns an everyday word for silk into a precise description of surfaces softened by fine, down-like hairs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sericeous come from?
Sericeous derives from Latin sericeus, meaning “made of silk” or “silky.” That adjective was formed from sericum, “silk,” which in turn came through Greek sērikon, referring to the silk-producing region and ultimately to silk itself. The same Latin root also underlies seric and sericulture, the practice of producing silkworms for their silk.
How sericeous is actually used
This is a formal, chiefly botanical and zoological adjective. It is more specific than “silky,” often indicating a surface covered with fine, soft, closely packed hairs.